Rid of the Monsters
by BluBooThalassophile
Summary: The Konohagakure Council has thought up a brilliant plan! The last Uchiha will marry Hyuga's eldest daughter to strengthen the lines of the Sharingan and Byakugan. However there's a minor problem which the entire village sees: the bride's in love with the groom's best friend, and the groom is in the midst of a long standing serious feud with his pinkette teammate and maid of honor.
1. Chapter 1

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 1**

Uchiha Sasuke after the massacre of his entire clan by the hand of his brother had been taken in by the Haruno family, who ran the local bakery. They had argued for him, apparently Mebuki and his mother had been friends and Mebuki didn't want to see him being alone in the world. Haruno Kizashi and Mebuki were very sweet, however, their daughter was another story.

Haruno Sakura drove him insane!

She would chat with him, ignore him, spar with him, fight with him, and she was not afraid to lose her temper with him. Honestly he didn't remember a single moment in the thirteen years he had known Haruno Sakura where they actually got along. Even on the same Team in the Academy they had tried to kill one another. Which had shocked the entire village because apparently that pink hellion was a sweetheart in this village; from whatever demented planet the villagers were from he didn't know. Sakura was about as sweet as poison in his mind.

Hair pulling, punching, scratching, biting, kicking, chakra explosions, and even their own unique styles would clash volatilely. It was amazing the Haruno bakery was even still standing after all the hell they had raised and still riled up.

However, when they were twelve their volatile concoction was only made worse by Uzumaki Naruto, the other famed orphan of Konohagakure; and his guardian Hatake Kakashi had been the other components of Team 7.

Over all, after the arrival of Sai, Team 7 was very efficiant and volatile; they had made it through the forbidden forest with no problem, and tackled every problem they had head on and without fear. However, when he was about sixteen he ran off the reservation when Itachi had attacked Sakura, no one had come with him. But what he remembered the most, was after it was all said and done, and he was dragging Itachi's dead body back to Konohagakure, he remembered pink running up to him and hugging him before he collapsed on her. He was sobbing as he had held her tightly.

It was the first time he had cried since the loss of his family, and it was the last time he had ever cried. Sakura was the only one to even know about it, and she never breathed a word of it to anyone. So, he guessed, in a way, he and the annoying pinkette were friends; even now. Sakura was his roommate, she was the daughter of his guardians, and she was his teammate, and she was still the most annoying woman on the planet!

Honestly, in all his life he had never met a woman who could rile him the way that one could!

Which is what brought him here, today, at twenty years old and lunging at the newly twenty-one Haruno Sakura just outside of the Hyūga compound. Between her and Uzamaki, one of them was going to die today! And he was starting with the annoying pinkette who was here because she was friends with Hyūga Hinata, and was here for moral support to the bad news the elders were going to announce today. Honestly! It wasn't that bad! And it wasn't like he even wanted to be here in the first place!

Sakura ducked, but he caught her, they were thrown back when their fists hit; her damn super chakra strength and his own always collided. He rolled to his feet, she was on hers. A smirk tugged his lips when she smiled deviously, he grabbed his sword, she had her kunai, and they were at it again. To on lookers, this was a dangerous sight, but as he slashed where she had stood, he knew that neither of them would hurt the other. Unless they really wanted to.

"Come on guys! Not on the street!" Naruto shouted, then Sasuke punched him, he was in the fight then and on Sakura's side.

"ENOUGH!" he was pulling on Sakura's hair, Naruto was in a headlock, Sakura was about to punch him and Naruto was struggling to escape. They all looked up to see the Fifth Hokage glaring at them, he gave Sakura a tug, she punched him and then they were all standing there in a line.

"Honestly! Are you five!? Stop this nonsense, and what are you two doing here? only Sasuke is needed," Tsunade pointed out.

"Moral support!" Sakura declared.

"Entertainment!" Naruto sniggered.

He glared at them both; traitors. Only they would be happy with his misery, and the stupid council had decreed this which made him hate the council all that much more.

Tsunade shook her head and everyone walked after her to the Hyūga compound. He nudged Sakura away from him, he nudge him back, he glared at her, she stuck her tongue out at him, and he poked her seal which had her stumbling as she rubbed her enormous forehead.

"I can still see you two, knock it off! And Sakura, as a disciple of the Fifth Hokage you should be conducting yourself with more decorum," Tsunade scolded her apprentice. He smirked, she scowled. "And I expect better from an Uchiha about to introduced to his intended," Tsunade snapped. Sasuke scowled, Naruto was laughing, and Sakura grinned.

Now they were all behaving as he walked into the Hyūga compound.

"Hello Sasuke, Sakura," Hinata greeted them shyly, he nodded, Sakura grinned and nudged him in the ribs. Naruto smiled broadly.

"Hey Hinata!" he greeted loudly and happily.

"H-h-h-h-hello, Naruto," she whispered so softly he almost missed it and looked back at her. The young woman blushed a most brilliant shade of red, which he knew neither Sakura or Naruto noticed for Sakura was speaking to him about being quieter inside. It made him wonder just what the council was thinking with this arrangement, he didn't get married and he was clearly not the man Hinata liked. In fact, he was fairly certain with how she seemed to be trembling under his gaze, that he scared her. But he knew he scared most as it was so he wasn't surprised as he tugged Sakura's hair to get her attention then and motioned for her to go ahead of him. She smiled politely as she and Hinata walked into the other room chatting quietly.

Naruto and he followed the women, and he was greeted by the serious sight of the Hyūga elders, Hinata and Sakura chatting quietly, the village council, the Fifth Hokage, and his mentor, Hatake Kakashi. He sighed as he took the seat beside Hinata, she just smiled shyly at him and he watched as her very pale purple-silver eyes wandered over to Naruto who had unceremoniously flomped beside him as he made himself tea.

"Welcome," the hokage greeted them with a smile.

He just sighed internally for this was the end of his life as he knew it. By the end of the day he'd be engaged to a woman who he didn't think he had ever actually spoken to, and who was clearly in love with his best friend, and was friends with the most annoying pinkette ever. And this was all because the Council wanted to keep the Sharingan strong, and combining it with the Byakugan. Personally, he was despising this course of action…

But after the last time he had gone rogue and dragged back Itachi's dead body, he had promised the council that he would do anything they wanted him to do; and that included this. Much to his chagrin, and his utter humiliation.

Though, he doubted living with a Hyūga would be half as bad as living his life with the very annoying pinkette who was sitting beside his newly announced intended. Her cousin and sister looked over joyed, and the Hyūga elders just looked… annoyed. Not that he cared. This was their idea after all.

Sakura grinned happily to him and Naruto clapped his shoulder in congratulations.

The only one who looked about as unhappy as he, well, she was sitting there beside him and looking quite sorrowful as she looked past him. Sasuke was a very perceptive individual and he knew he was not her choice, just as she was not his choice. And he noticed the satisfacion of the elders, the council, and the Hokage at this arrangement. His mentor looked skeptical about this arrangement, and Naruto was just staring at the offered food hungrily.

He never noticed the flash of pain in the only green eyes in this room, and he never noticed the way she fisted her hands in her lap.

"This is so exciting!" Sakura said when they were walking in the Hyūga gardens with Hinata and Naruto. "A wedding! It's been so long with the village celebrated anything! This will be fun, if you need any help Hinata just ask, I'll be thrilled to help you in anyway. Even beating up the Uchiha if he's mean to you."

"Hn," was his answer with a glare and Sakura just scowled at him. Hinata giggled softly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Not a problem, I'll even get Naruto to help," Sakura whispered deviously to the Hyūga girl walking beside her.

"Sakura," he growled the warning.

"Shush you!" she snapped and everyone around them was laughing, even the council who he hadn't even noticed standing behind him. He sighed as he scowled at the pinkette who linked her arm with Hinata's and grinned up at him as if to dare him to say something.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue then, and before she could counter him he poked her seal again. "Annoying."

She stuck her tongue out and he refrained from snapping at her that a girl who had just turned twenty-one should not be acting like she was three years old. But he didn't, she was Sakura, and she'd likely snap back at him and then they'd be sparring; again.

* * *

Hinata shyly watched the exchange between Sasuke and Sakura, they were very comfortable with one another and she noticed that with how… expressive, the normally expressionless Uchiha was with her pink friend. Sakura had a way of doing that though, bringing people out.

It had never escaped her notice how close Sakura was with Naruto, she'd scold him, pay for his dinner, and even train with him whenever he needed the help, she'd beat Naruto up and heal him; all in one go; and she would always stand up for him. For a long time Hinata had envied Sakura's relationship with Naruto, until she realized Sakura maintained the same relationship with Sasuke and Sai, she was like a sister or family to them, and then Hinata had had hope. Hope was something she hadn't had for a long time, she had had hope that maybe she could get Naruto's attention and make him see how much she loved him, for she had always loved him.

There was no such luck for her though, her family had had other plans. And since she wasn't like her cousin; who had recently married his long time teammate Tenten, she would have an arranged marriage with the last Uchiha heir.

It was hurting her, but as she looked at Sakura chatting with her new fiancé; who had yet to speak with her since arriving, she just hurt. Sasuke was not the man she wanted to marry.

"Well, Hinata, if you need anything you know where I am, I have to go now, I have a shift at the hospital. Sasuke, Naruto, don't destroy the place!" Sakura said as she jogged off, and Hinata looked to the two men, they looked at her.

"How about we all go get ramen!" Naruto declared.

"You just had ramen," Sasuke pointed out.

"Yeah, so, I'm hungry!" Naruto argued and she chuckled softly as she followed them, being with them beat being with her family any day of the week, even if she didn't know her intended very well. Perhaps, since she wasn't going to get her freedom through her family, she should at least try to be happy and get to know Sasuke. He would be her husband after all.

* * *

No one saw the pink blur which hid in a dark alley as her breath hitched and the tears she had held back slipped from her control and she sunk to the filthy ground as her heart broke again, for the millionth time since meeting Uchiha Sasuke.

But she made certain no one would ever see it, see the love she held in her heart for him.

She hid it that well, and it would stay hidden and buried deep within her. It was for the best, for the good of the village if no one ever knew. No one would understand anyway.

Finally, the last of her silent tears slipped off her chin and she carefully stood as she wiped the evidence away and walked towards the hospital, for she really did have a shift to get to. She pulled up her pink hair as she walked and smiled at the villagers who smiled and waved at her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 2**

Ever since the time she was a little girl Sakura remembered one thing almost exclusively; she loved Uchiha Sasuke. Even before he had come to live with her family because her mother had argued it was in his best interests to be in a loving environment rather than cast aside at the mercy of the council.

From the first day he had moved into the room across the hall from hers' she had loved him. But she would soon tell a snake 'I-love-you' than the jerk who had moved in. Sasuke was always been a jerk where she was concerned; even before moving in. She could remember the times when their mothers would make them play together, Itachi used to need to pry them apart before they killed one another. However, Sakura had long since known the difference between what people wanted and what people needed; even as a young child she had known and adapted herself to be what the person needed.

It was stupid, she knew this, but as a child she hadn't known better; for if she had been what people had wanted her to be she'd have been a gushing fangirl of Sasuke's, Naruto's girlfriend, Sai's tutor, and Kakashi's worst student, she'd have never been Tsunande's apprentice, and she'd have never become the best healer her village had ever seen. But no, Sakura made herself what people needed; she was Sasuke's pain in the ass and thing to despise and to push around and rely on, she was like a sister to Naruto and Sai, and she was almost like a daughter to Kakashi; she was the best disciple of the Fifth Hokage, even earning her Seal after three years of storing and gathering and controlling her chakra, and she was the best healer.

Yes, at seven years old if she had known she was doing this, molding herself to be a need rather than a decoration, she'd have tried to take a different approach to life.

But alas, she hadn't.

And it was really all because of that Uchiha who had moved in with her family. Sakura had seen he was hurting, that he was dangerous, she had seen his pain as if it were her own, and she had decided to push him back when he lashed out with that pain. She chose to be his target, she could take it if that was what was needed for him; and she did. She would drive him insane, if only to distract him from his hatred; she would train with him, if only so he could push himself; she would be there for him, if only to remind him he wasn't alone; and she would hit him as hard as she could, if only to knock some sense into that thick head of his.

Sakura wasn't his friend, she had long since accepted this; but she also wasn't a sibling to him, he had never needed nor wanted someone to take that roll up in his life again. She was not his lover, that was for damn sure because she knew he'd sooner date Ino before he looked at her as a woman despite what love she had for him and hid within the depths of her heart. She was not anything to him really, perhaps she was a confidant to him in some capacity, but she wasn't certain, perhaps in a way she was something more than a teammate, less than a friend, and more than a roommate to him; but she had no idea what that made her to him.

But one thing was for certain to Haruno Sakura.

He had never, nor would ever, love her the way she loved him because he refused to love anyone ever again. So she would continue to hide her love away, it was still flourishing to her annoyance, but it was like a hidden garden or something for she wasn't sharing it or showing it to anyone. And she was proud of it, but terrified of the world seeing it or the Uchiha finding out, and it being burnt to ashes. Sasuke would defiantly not like it if she loved him.

Not that she'd have to worry about that after today, she thought bitterly as she walked home from her shift at the hospital to the apartment she and Sasuke shared.

He had moved in with her mostly because her mother had insisted she not live alone, and her father had told Sasuke to protect her, and Sasuke adamantly refused to live in the pigsty of Naruto's apartment when Naruto had asked for roommates. Thus the reason the Uchiha was living in her apartment.

But no more, she figured.

After today he was an engaged man, and he was engaged to a woman who deserved him and would; in time be a very good wife for him. Sakura knew this, it was the only reason she hadn't strangled Hinata. The eldest Hyūga daughter was a very good friend of hers, and she knew Hinata liked Naruto but she would not go against the wishes of her family. Sasuke was skating on thin ice as it was, after he had gone on a murdering rampage four, nearly five years, ago when Itachi had attacked them.

Well, specifically her; she would admit that now; Uchiha Itachi had been hell bent on kidnapping her and she had been hell bent on not going with him. The consequences of that day had been almost fatal to her, Sasuke had found her. That much she remembered, afterwards she woke in a hospital about a month later, Naruto sobbing at her side with Sai and Kakashi there, along with her parents. And that was when she had learnt about where Sasuke had gone to. Five months after she had woken up he had reappeared, dragging his brother's body with him.

Needless to say, the council had not been pleased and after a lot of stupid promises later he was on thin ice with the assurances he'd never do that again and he'd do whatever it took to make it up to them.

Sakura sighed, unsurprisingly he was going to marry Hinata, if only to not be in the boiling pot again. No one liked the council but to be on their bad side was almost as bad as being a rogue ninja.

Well, she thought glumly, perhaps, in time, Hinata would do the one thing no one had been able to do, and make him happy. She had little doubts that they could be a good match for each other, once Sasuke got over his anger, and Hinata got over her shyness and her crush on Naruto.

It was only fair though that the last Uchiha heir marry a woman who was practically a princess. Just because he had come to live with the commoners, did not mean he was one of them. She had to remind herself of this often, for the Uchiha Clan had been revered before their demise, and they had been considered something akin to royalty. Sasuke was the last heir to the family, he was very rich, and just because he didn't live on a compound or have servants or act like he was an heir, did not mean he was not still of the noble house.

Grumbling she dug through her bag for her keys, she was exhausted, emotionally strained and hungry.

"You're home early," his voice said, she whipped her head around and ignored the annoying way her heart skipped a beat and the way her body yearned to be near his.

"Yeah, long surgery, I was told to go home," she shrugged. It wasn't a lie; but more of there was no way for her to finagle more over time. No one knew about her love for the Uchiha, but most of the reason she had so much over time at the hospital was to avoid him. Hey, just because she tried to be what everyone needed her to be, didn't mean she wasn't a coward at times. Being alone with him… it scared her because she was afraid to slip up and he'd catch onto her dark, well-hidden secret. The man was annoyingly perceptive.

"Hn," he shrugged as he got his key and opened the door to their apartment. Sakura shucked her shoes off, and walked through the two bedroomed apartment hearing him grumble about her messy habits. She scowled at him but ignored him as she walked to her room to gather up what she needed for a soak in the tub.

"Bathroom's mine!" she called as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door securely behind her. She didn't hear his response but knew he was grumbling. Not caring she started filling the tub with hot water, she peeled off today's clothes and then she settled in the steaming tub to turn into a pink prune; something she pulled off very well being a natural pinkette.

Another sigh escaped her lips as she tried to not break in the tub from the council's decree of this union. It wasn't Hinata's fault, so she couldn't find it in her to be mad at the Hyūga girl. And it wasn't Sasuke fault either, he would probably sooner die than marry right now.

* * *

Sasuke stared at the closed door of the bathroom and scowled.

The annoying woman had laid claim to the bathroom before he could even grab a shower, and he didn't feel like going to the bathhouse to get his shower because then he'd be interrogated about the council's declaration and he didn't feel like dealing with that nonsense. But he would counter Sakura's claim to the bathroom by walking in and taking a shower while she was taking a bath. She'd probably murder him; and not throw stuff at him like last time.

The last time had been after he returned to the village after running after Itachi. Truth be told, he hadn't thought of Sakura as a young woman; how could he when she was… well, Sakura. However when he had walked in on her in the bathroom that day he had seen she was a young woman. It a bit shocking, he remembered she had some curves, small breasts, long legs, and she was most definitely a natural pinkette. But the attack he had received for that one accidental walk in, well, it was not worth her wrath for him to get the shower he wanted.

With this in mind he decided to clean his weapons because it was a part of his nightly routine, and it was something which would calm his temper before he lost all control and decided to walk in on Sakura just to have a fight happen.

His day with the Hyūga heiress had been… grueling. She was not allowed anywhere with him without a proper escort which had led to most of his day being dictated by Hyūga Neji. And Neji was about as good of company as a Sakura's blonde friend who was dating Sai. But worse, Neji tried to pry; Sasuke never let anyone into his life outside of the select few he knew he could trust without question: Naruto, Sai, Kakashi, and Sakura were the only ones he let in. Not even Yamato, who was the new second captain of Team 7, had his respect or trust.

But to make matters worse, Hinata had clearly been embarrassed and mortified at her cousin's actions from today. And every time he had tried to leave after Naruto had ditched them for some reason, Neji would lose it in a way and demand if this was how he was to treat his defenseless bride by leaving her alone to fend for herself. Sasuke had seen Hinata flinch at that statement and sighed, he knew she was far from defenseless, and had even claimed her to be one of the best kunoichi he had ever met. Neji had been shocked, Hinata blushed, and then he had proceeded to say he was not going to be Hinata's shield from everything; after all, Hinata was only the second best kunoich he knew.

This in turn had pissed Neji off, Hinata had smiled with her pleasure at even being acknowledged as one of the best he knew, and Neji had demanded to know who the best kunoichi was.

Sasuke scowled, of course he'd never say it to Sakura; for the annoying pinkette would only get to being more annoying, but she was the best kunoichi he had ever met or worked with. And this had proceeded to Neji's biggest embarrassing thing to say, which Sasuke knew the coolheaded Hyūga would never have said if he hadn't been so clearly mad at him.

'Why don't you marry the Haruno then!?' Neji had shouted.

Sasuke had seen ill at the thought, and Hinata had paled considerably, and Neji looked like he had just eaten a frog.

And that was the rest of his awkward afternoon until he had walked home to see her grumbling as she looked for her key; again. A key he knew she didn't have because it was on the counter because she had forgotten it… again.

Sakura came out of the bathroom after an hour wrapped in a towel and she disappeared into her room. He just got up to get his shower and shook his head at the mess of clothes that was the sign Haruno Sakura lived here.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 3**

"Sakura," a shake of her shoulder had her cracking her eyes open to the bleary form of the Uchiha. Groaning she rubbed her eyes.

"Time?" she asked groggily.

"One," he answered sleepily.

"Sleep, shift at three," she grumbled.

"Sai's here, come on, out of bed," he ordered as he yanked her blanket from her. She scowled but reluctantly got to her feet as she yawned, stretched and stumbled towards the door of their apartment and stared blearily at the outline of Sai in their door.

"What's up?" she yawned as her arms stretched over her head and her vertebra popped pleasingly. Sasuke just scowled and slammed his door shut in obvious annoyance at the disturbance of his sleep. She didn't blame him, she'd react the same way but she wasn't a wake enough to care at this moment.

"It's Naruto, can you talk to him; he's tearing up a training field," Sai said.

"How long?" she yawned as she motioned for him to follow her. She stumbled to her room, pulled on some clothes; made a mental note to do laundry as she wiggled into the last clean pants she had; and they were white; her shirt was a bright red with the Haruno emblem on the back.

"Since this afternoon, he won't say what's bothering him," Sai informed her as she slipped on her shoes and left the apartment.

"Yeah, I'll go talk to him, which training field Sai?" she asked.

"Outside, forest, training field four," he informed her.

"Alright, go home and get some sleep; I'll take care of this," she said as she walked off in the direction of the training fields. It was a little shocking to her to be called awake in the middle of the night because Naruto was upset; he wasn't one to like showing when he was upset about something and either determinedly dogged through whatever his problem was or he trained. Clearly if he had been at it since this afternoon something was bothering him greatly.

Arriving at the training field she was semi-impressed with the amount of damage he was doing.

"Morning Naruto," she called out when she saw him appear then, the blonde turned on her, he had an upset frown on his face and smiled reassuringly to him before walking onto the field. Mostly so she didn't startle him and get clobbered; it had been known to happen a time or two.

"What are you doing here Sakura?" he demanded.

"Sai was concerned and woke me up to come talk to you," she answered honestly. "Or we can spar until you're exhausted, lemme see your knuckles," she ordered grabbing his bruised hand before he could object to her grab.

"So what's bothering you Naruto; I have a shift at three so please don't waste my time," she pleaded as she started healing him from the damage he had inflicted upon himself. He looked down, she looked into those down casted blue eyes, this was so out of character for him that she was concerned.

"The arranged marriage," he admitted.

"Why?" she asked and he sighed.

"Well, I just… I didn't think the council would do this! And it seems to upset Hinata! She doesn't seem to want to marry teme, and teme doesn't want to marry her! I just… I don't like it!" he snapped, and she felt another flare of his chakra as his free hand fisted. Sakura frowned and thought over the past year.

"Are you mad for them or is there another reason?" she questioned softly.

Honestly she knew how Hinata felt about Naruto; it was amazing her blush hadn't become a permanent part of her complexion with how she blushed around him. And she knew in the past year Naruto and Hinata had started training together, often. But Naruto was determined to be the best and tried to train with everyone to better himself. The only reason Sakura knew about Hinata's profound feelings for Naruto was because Hinata had seemed to nearly die of happiness when she was training with Naruto. Which was a strange reaction to have when it came to training with her loud, blonde, exuberant friend.

However, with the amount of time they spent together for his training was it possible Sakura had missed Naruto's feeling for Hinata? It wasn't out of the realm of possibilities; she was known to occasionally miss her boys' emotions where it came to girls; mostly because… well face it:

Sai was hopeless, and emotionally stunted in just about every way. Sasuke was Sasuke and he hated everyone, but mostly he despised girls because most girls fangirled him; she could actually count on one hand the number of women he would dare to be around, and she was one of those three fingers. And then there was Naruto; and though she loved him very deeply, knew he had crushes on girls, she didn't always pry into his likings of girls because that was an awkward conversation; especially since she had had to teach him about condoms when he had asked. That day had been very embarrassing as she demonstrated on a banana how a condom was to be used for him and Sai both; Sasuke had thankfully left before the demonstration. So no, she didn't pry into Naruto's life where girls were concerned.

"I don't know," he admitted. She sighed as she finished one hand and took his other hand.

"Do you like _**like**_ Hinata, that way?" she demanded bluntly. Her medic-nin eyes taking in every minute detail of his expressions.

"Huh?" Naruto looked at her confused and she smiled, so his conscious thoughts hadn't caught up with his subconscious thoughts.

"If it makes you feel better Naruto I have my own secrets," she whispered to him the wind as her only eavesdropper just then. "And if this is one of yours I'll make it one of mine and never share it."

"Is it alright that I like her… that way?" he asked.

"There is nothing wrong with it, Naruto; nothing." She said this firmly as she looked him in his eyes. He looked forloningly at her then.

"I like Hinata," he admitted.

"It's going to be alright," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her tightly then and Sakura closed her eyes as she held onto her best friend in the entire world, for she was hurting just as much as he was.

"I didn't know, not until today," he admitted. "Couldn't look at her without feeling guilty and I couldn't be around Sasuke without wanting to rip his throat out," he whispered to her.

"It's alright," she whispered. "If it makes you feel better, Hinata likes you rather than Sasuke."

"It doesn't," he whispered. She sighed and pulled away from him, her hands resting on his upper arms and she was looking determinedly in his eyes.

"Naruto, a year is when that wedding is set; and a lot can happen in a year. Don't give up hope on her; not when you always hope for the best of everything. I have no doubts that this will work out," she lied. Sasuke would not be the one to break the council's will; he wouldn't when he was on thin ice; even when he despised what they were wanting him to do. He hated being told what to do, he always had; and a selfish part of her hoped he'd fight the council's wishes. Even if it wasn't about love, she hoped he'd fight this for his own freedom; the council had always seemed hellbent on breaking him and controlling him. She didn't want that for him, he was an Uchiha, and he should be free; he was like a tiger the council wanted to tame as a house cat. It hurt her to see that.

"Sakura, do you want them to marry?" he asked her softly. She smiled, a secret smile she knew, and she knew he wouldn't even understand what she was about to say but she was saying it.

"I want, what I always want, Naruto; to be at peace with the decisions made in life," she answered.

"Huh?"

"It's all I really want for them, they need to be at peace with their decisions in life because they have to live with it," she answered.

"That makes no sense Sakura," Naruto informed her sharply. She laughed.

"I know, now, are we done pummeling the training grounds; I have a shift at the hospital in a few hours and I would like to get a little sleep tonight," she chuckled. He smiled sheepishly at her then.

"Yeah," he decided.

"Good, now, we're going to have ramen; my treat; tomorrow after my shift and we'll talk about this some more without Sasuke or Hinata around and you can tell me all about what's bothering you," she said as she walked off the field with him.

She saw his uncertainty in his eyes and she smiled a bit at him.

"It's going to be alright Naruto," she promised him.

"So long as you're buying the ramen," he said cheerfully. She laughed; knowing he was trying to be normal again; he really was so childish.

* * *

Sasuke was awake since Sai had come for Sakura, he had heard her leave, she was going to Naruto and a part of him hated that she would give her attention and affections to that blonde dobe. Oh, he knew she didn't like him that way, he knew, because Sakura was like a big sister where Naruto was concerned. She hassled him, yelled at him, comforted him, and confused him, she teased and tormented him and she loved that blonde dobe like family; she had told him that often enough when he'd be irritated with her diverting her attentions to Naruto.

It always irked him, he didn't know why, but her giving her attentions to another usually had him mad and why he didn't know.

About an hour after she left she returned. He heard the quiet way she opened the door, it shut behind her. He heard her moving about as she moved in the apartment and he heard her sigh. He didn't know what was going on but clearly she was exhausted and sad so he poked his head out of his room to find her sprawled out on the couch sound asleep.

He retreated into his room and grabbed a blanket. Without really thinking about what he was doing for her he draped the blanket over her small frame and looked her over. She seemed fine, but he knew Sakura well enough to know she was over working herself in some way. He was tempted to call the hospital for her and call her in sick, but he refrained; mostly because that would mean interfering with her life and that was a no for him.

Just because the nosey pinkette intruded upon his life did not mean he was going to do the same for her.

Still, he moved a few strands of her pink hair and sighed as he left her be.

The mysterious pinkette was irking him again. He didn't like it when she would confuse his thoughts or him. But she always had, ever since he had moved in with the Haruno family, she had confused him.

Not that it mattered, he thought, she was just another annoying girl and a member of his life after the massacre. She mattered to him in some way, but he didn't care about her, he did trust her though. Again, not that it mattered as he retreated into his room, shut the door silently and looked at the photos he had on his dresser.

Just before Sai had arrived and knocked on the door he had been suffering from another nightmare and had bolted awake. He had just been about to go to the pinkette like he always did when he had those nightmares; she'd either come to him or he to her; and then Sai was there. He had instead of going to take comfort in the presence of another living with him, he had gone to wake her for Naruto.

Sighing again he put the frames of the photos of those haunting him face down and rubbed his face.

At least she was alive, his nightmare had contorted again and instead of it being his clan Itachi murdered it was that annoying pinkette. He hated that particular nightmare, and he really hated the nightmares he had because Itachi had attacked Sakura rather than him.

Sasuke reluctantly laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Sleep was something he hated, but he had to rest, and so he closed his eyes and hoped there'd be no nightmares.

If there were Sakura was in the other room until three.

* * *

 **I'm in a Naruto sort of mood today so I think I'll have updates for Until the Day I Die and Irresistible Pain today.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 4**

Sakura made it through her day, half dead on her feet but alright. When she left the hospital at thirty passed noon she was greeted by a smiling Naruto. She smiled at her friend, they were walking to Ichiraku's. it was not a strange sight to the villagers, she knew this, but Naruto was acting nervous again as they walked side by side. They were in silence as they walked but she knew he was in a serious thinking mode with his frown and the furrowing of his brow. She would pester it when she had food, she decided, she was starving and hadn't had anything since she grabbed a bite to eat before leaving her apartment this morning.

"So, you want to tell me why this started eating at you last night rather than yesterday while we were at the meeting?" Sakura asked after they took their seats and were sitting at a table.

"Well…" he trailed off.

"Naruto! I actually do not have all day, and we can either discuss this over a nice bowel of ramen or I can beat it out of you after lunch for an hour of training before I go to Tsunade's office!" she snapped.

He straightened up and seemed to snap out of his stupor, she at her lunch and eyed him cautiously.

"I thought it was all going to blow up the council's face yesterday!" he finally snapped.

"Ah," she sighed and continued eating as she listened.

"I mean come on! When the hell has Uchiha Sasuke ever done anything anyone has ever wanted him to do!? He doesn't listen to anyone but your mother and that's only when she has her rolling pin in hand! I didn't think he'd actually go through with this! I thought he'd lash out, knock the council down and leave, I never thought he and Hinata would actually end up…" he looked disgusted as he scowled down at his bowel of ramen. She sighed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Naruto, Sasuke would do what the council wants because he's on very, very, very, very thin ice with them after his bout as a rogue ninja," she reminded Naruto.

"You know, I now that, but this isn't making me feel better. I still want to beat the shit out of him, rip his throat out and shove it up his ass. Maybe I could get whatever stick is up his ass, rip it out and beat him to death with it," Naruto grumbled.

"Naruto! He is your best friend and I am not patching you two up after you break each other, again! Remember what happened last time!" she snapped.

"I know that! That's why this sucks!" he hissed out. She sighed again.

"Naruto, perhaps you should talk to Sasuke about this, after all, he's in the same boat. I sincerely doubt he wants to marry, remember he's after revenge, not marriage." Sakura knew he was still digging into his clan's deaths, he didn't believe Itachi alone had managed the slaughtering of his clan.

"Yeah, well, he does want to revive his clan Sakura," Naruto pointed out.

"Naruto, Sasuke wants to revive his clan on his terms, and probably with a woman of his choosing. He's being forced into this arrangement because the Hyūga elders finally have something that has never happened in the history of either clan. A lone, vulnerable Uchiha, and before you say that doesn't have anything to do with this; think of it this way; if there were one Hyūga member left standing after they were slaughtered by one of their own and the Uchiha clan was still standing; don't you believe that they'd exploit this vulnerability and arrange a marriage?" She was stating something she was a well-known fact.

Pointing out weaknesses of the clans, and how those two clans hated vulnerabilities.

"I know! It's just… _**ERGH!**_ I want beat him to a bloody pulp," Naruto declared with a pounding of his fist on the table. Sakura rubbed her brow, her headache was coming on in full force with this conversation. Mostly because she was in the same boat as Naruto, she wanted to beat the hell out of the Hyūga heiress and shout Sasuke was hers' and not for the taking. The only reason she hadn't lashed out yet was actually for a simple reason, Uchiha Sasuke was not hers and she not his.

"Naruto, I get it, I do, but please don't beat up Sasuke again, I will patch you both up and beat you both into a bloody pulp if you do," she assured her friend. "Can you tell me why you didn't react until yesterday afternoon?"

"Well, it just… it didn't sink in until yesterday afternoon when Neji had demanded why didn't Sasuke marry you instead… he said a few things about no one being worthy for Hinata and it just… I don't know, it just sunk in then and it was like… Shit! Then I wanted to beat Sasuke up, he looked like he had just been poisoned, and so I… I left, sparred with Sai and then you came and I don't know… It just didn't sink in until then," Naruto groaned as he dragged his hands through his hair.

She was stunned at the mere suggestion of her marrying Sasuke; she had almost missed Naruto's confused state because of that off handed suggestion.

"Naruto, talk to Sasuke about this. Do not say anything to any Hyūga about this; they won't like it and I don't need you on thin ice with the council and Hyūga elders as well as Sasuke. And Naruto, you and I will get through this. If nothing else, you have me," she informed him as she paid for Naruto's untouched ramen and her own and stood.

"Sakura, did you ever love someone so much you didn't notice until they were gone?" he asked.

"No, but I know how you're feeling Naruto," she assured him as she patted his shoulder. "We'll go sparring soon, for now, I recommend you speak with Sasuke about this. I have to go, sorry, but I have a meeting with Tsunade."

"Go, and while you're at it, get us a kick ass mission! We haven't had a cool mission as a team for a while!" Naruto called to her as she left. She waved her hand in acknowledgement as she walked, her heart broke a bit but she shoved it to the side as she focused on the moment and staying awake. Kami was she exhausted! Emotionally drained, and physically exhausted, she was pathetic today or what!?

* * *

Sasuke was again being forced to spend time with Hinata today, but he had managed to get her alone; without an escort; mostly because he had made her. He was not being spied on all day by some Hyūga who was obsessed with keeping the family name honorable; it wasn't like he was going to attack the girl. Besides, she wasn't his type for thos kinds of advances, she was too… lush in the body and timid in nature.

Sasuke knew he didn't have a type of girl he liked, but even if he did, Hinata would not be the type he wanted.

"Hello Sakura!" he heard his fiancé say timidly just as a flash of pink caught his eye just before she crashed into him and sending them both sprawling on the ground. He glared into the green startled eyes which were owlishly staring at him.

"Ack! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" she said as she clambered off of him, he groaned when she kneed his stomach and narrowly avoided her hitting his groin as she scrambled up. He got up after her, he noticed the bruises under her eyes and grabbed her chin before she walked off on him.

"Sakura, when did you last sleep?" he demanded.

"Uh… last night, I believe you woke me when Sai came to get me for Naruto," she yawned and pulled away to stretch. He frowned, he was clearly going to have to intervene on her reckless behavior before she fell asleep in surgery; honestly, if the annoying pinkette could run into him, in broad daylight, in the middle of the day, when Hinata had said hello there was a problem. And she clearly needed more sleep.

"Hn," he glared.

"Don't give me that look, I'm fine! Oh and my parents are expecting you two for dinner tonight, they want to celebrate the prodigal son's engagement, my mother came to see me at work about this, so don't think you're slipping out of this Sasuke; I was procured to personally see you arrived at home at seven for dinner, tonight or my mother will come at you with the rolling pin; again," Sakura warned him. He refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Oh, that was kind," Hinata said softly. Sakura turned her sleepy attention to the girl with a bright smile then.

"Yep, mom's happy to be seeing him get married, she is most eager to meet you Hinata, dinner is casual before you get dressed up, and Naruto and Sai will be joining us," Sakura said happily.

"Not Kakashi or Yamato?" Hinata timidly asked.

"No one has ever seen Kakashi eat with us; oh that reminds me we've never seen his face…" Sakura trailed off. He frowned, they were on this again! No one ever saw Kakashi's face, but now that he thought about it he was certain that bringing this up with the dobe would lead to another round of ambushing Kakashi to see his face…

Entertainment for a minute! He liked that idea.

"Oh, and Yamato has never joined my family for dinner; my dad and he always argue whenever they see each other so Yamato won't be over for dinner," Sakura explained quickly.

"Oh, alright, I'd be happy to join you," Hinata offered a smile.

"Excellent, Naruto's over at Ichiraku's if you two would like to join him for lunch," Sakura offered sweetly. She smiled as Hinata turned red and Sasuke felt another bout of nagging guilt in his gut about this situation.

She clearly liked Naruto rather than him so why the hell was the council imposing this on them!? No matter, he thought, he just nodded to Hinata to go ahead of him, but the girl looked confused.

"Hinata, that means go in the language of Uchiha, he'll join in a minute," Sakura told Hinata who smiled happily and hurried off.

"So what do you want Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she looked at him. "I'm in a hurry, I have a meeting with Tsunade," she snapped as he didn't say anything.

"Get. Me. Out. Of. This. Marriage." He hissed out slowly so passerbys didn't over hear what he said.

"Why?" Sakura sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"She's in love with Naruto!" he snarled back softly.

"Look, I can't do anything about this now Sasuke; I have a meeting to get to, we'll talk about this after dinner, alright?" she demanded wearily.

"Hn," was his response.

"Good, now if anyone comes looking for me, I'm not here, alright? I'm late and Tsunade's going to kill me! I'll see you tonight!" she called out as she glanced at the time and then ran off. He didn't say anything to the contrary.

Instead he turned around to see Hinata blushing as she smiled happily while Naruto seemed to happily talk to her, through the window of Ichiraku's. This was all wrong, was all he could think as he reluctantly walked towards the ramen shop. Those two looked happy, he noted, then he walked in and Naruto turned from happy to dobe in a second and Hinata seemed to retreat back into her shy shell.

Sasuke sighed, he didn't want to marry a girl who he made nervous and he clearly made Hinata uncomfortable and nervous. Damn the council!

Damn Itachi!

And damn him and his luck for that matter while he was at it!

Silently he joined the dobe and Hinata for lunch.

* * *

 **Yeah, still in a Naruto sort of mood...**

 **Anyways, that's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 5**

Hinata watched her fiancé from the window as he and Sakura spoke. It always amazed her how at ease Sakura was with Sasuke, he scared her something fierce; mostly because his chakra was still so… ominous. Sasuke scared her something fierce and he didn't seem to even try, but when she had seen Sakura and Sasuke speaking out the window saw how at ease they were with one another and then she had given her attention to Naruto.

It had been a nice moment before Sasuke and Naruto had started insulting each other. She had enjoyed her time with Naruto, but she was reluctant to go with Sasuke when they had finished lunch with Naruto. Still, it was nice, he didn't talk much, and she didn't know what to talk to him about as they both walked in silence back towards the Hyūga compound.

"I'll collect you for dinner," Sasuke informed her.

"Are you… close… to the Haruno… family?" she asked softly as she tried not to stutter with her nerves. He looked down at her, she was trying not to tremble, though she felt she shouldn't need to fear him she didn't exactly like being alone with him. Though she was trying, desperately trying to not be afraid of him and to at least try to like him. After all, she was going to be married to him.

"Hn," he inclined his head slightly in a nod then.

"Oh… I'll be r-r-ready," she stuttered.

"Hn," he nodded and then he left her. She sighed as she walked to her room.

Everyone in the village knew the Haruno family had taken in the orphaned Uchiha before the elders could decide his fate, Sasuke had been raised by them. He had a close relationship; from what she had observed; with Haruno Sakura; even if they were trying to strangle one another half the time, and he did live with her even though he could live on his own. It made her feel sad, other than what she observed of him she didn't know much about her husband to be, her family had actually worked hard so she didn't have to be near him. At a certain point she was actually forbidden to be near him because he was thought to be too dangerous; and her clan had become somewhat paranoid at the idea of being slaughtered by one of their own after what had happened to the Uchiha clan. It was stupid really, but a fear for them all the same, and they feared associating with the Uchiha would bring that devastation upon them.

It also didn't help matters that she was painfully shy, Hinata thought bitterly.

No matter, she thought sadly, she was going to married to the Uchiha, and then her life would be dedicated to him. She just hoped for the best but she didn't think this was going to be a loving marriage. Also, she really wanted to be Naruto's wife rather than Sasuke's; she loved Naruto's energy and his determination, oh true she loved everything about him, but his personality drew her in and made her feel…

Naruto made her feel safe, free, happy, and cherished all at once, and he made her feel… normal.

Sasuke made her nervous and she felt on edge around him.

* * *

Sakura made it through her meeting with Tsunade, which was more of a paperwork fest than anything. Her mentor was not good with keeping up with the paperwork and she also had a bit too much of a love for gambling and the good sake…

No matter, Sakura thought as she walked home, she needed to get changed and head to her parents' house for dinner with Sasuke, Sai, Naruto and Hinata. Which was probably going to be another boisterous event, her parents weren't the calmest of people, and they were very excitable. Sakura was tempted to call and say she was ill or something, but her mother would never by that, so she'd just try not to fall asleep during dinner. That was a good plan, perhaps she'd have another gallon of coffee to get through her night…

Kami was this a long day.

Shaking her head she entered the apartment just as Sasuke walked out of the shower with a towel around his hips.

If she wasn't brain dead before from exhaustion, she sure felt it now as all thoughts left her head at the marvelous sight before her. Hey! She was a woman! Just because she didn't always look the part of gorgeous did not mean she wasn't aware of the male speicies; and she loved him; not helping matters, she thought.

"Sakura," he greeted.

"Please tell me there's still hot water," she begged.

"Aa," he informed her.

"Thank Kami! Don't forget to get Hinata!" she called out as she ran into the bathroom. Slamming the door behind her she turned on the shower and peeled out of today's clothes. She wanted a shower before her nose started bleeding at the sight of Sasuke's perfection. It wasn't fair he got to look like that! It should be criminal!

Then again, from the pictures she had seen of his clan before the massacre; the entire clan were lookers…

Must be genetic, she thought wryly. Sighing in bliss she stepped into the steam of the hot water and relaxed for a moment. Ever since she had been seven years old and Sasuke had moved in with her family her life had been nonstop go. It didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy her little moments of peace and relaxing but face it, when she was sharing her life with her parents, Sasuke, Naruto, Sai, Tsunade, Kakashi, and Yamato and everyone else, it was far from relaxing.

She heard the front door of the apartment close as she slumped to the tiled floor of the shower. It still hurt her to think he was marrying Hinata, but apparently he wanted out of this marriage. Why he'd want her help was beyond her, but she was honor bound to help him from an old promise they had made when they had been toddlers. Not that the Uchiha was likely to remember it!

* * *

Hinata was waiting for the Uchiha to get her at six-thirty, and she was ready to endure a dinner with those who were probably considered family by her intended. It was a nerve-racking thought as she saw him approach her compound dressed casually.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she squeaked. He turned and started off without her. She walked to stand beside him, though with a respectable distance between them. The walk was silent; she didn't like it, but the Uchiha again didn't seem to be one to break the silence and she had no idea what to talk to him about.

"Hey! You guys made it!" Naruto appered grinning. "Good to see you didn't get lost teme!"

"Only you would get lost to the bakery dobe," Sasuke retorted. She was blushing at the sight of Naruto, he grinned broadly at her as he walked between them.

"Finally! Sasuke! It's been to long!" an exuberant blonde woman appeared as she jogged up to hug the Uchiha. Hinata saw the way he stiffened slightly but relaxed instantly; so he also didn't like being touched, she filed away.

"Mebuki," he said coldly.

"Sakura and Sai just arrived, go help them in the kitchen!" Mebuki ordered as she shoved Naruto and Sasuke off, Hinata smiled slightly at seeing someone boss them around in a motherly way. There was a loud greeting, something that sounded like Sakura yelling, and everyone laughing. "Well now, you must be Sasuke's fiancé! Let me get a good look at you!"

She paled under Mebuki dark green stare.

"You are a lovely creature, just simply charming! Mikoto would be so proud, Mikoto was my best friend and Sasuke's mother," Mebuki filled her in and she blushed slightly at this woman's warm personality. It was much like Sakura's was.

"Well, come on, the whole family is home for a minute to celebrate this!" Mebuki said gleefully as she pulled Hinata along. Hinata just stumbled after her and into the warm bakery.

"No Sai! Sasuke put the tomato down! Naruto!" Sakura was heard before she was seen and the sight they walked into was amusing. Sakura was fighting the three males in the kitchen like children who roughhoused, but it was clear Sakura was out numbered between Sai, Sasuke and Naruto; a dark pink haired man was laughing at the table at the sight and she couldn't stop the smile from reaching her lips at the sight of those four. But it was not as amusing as when Mebuki placed her hands on her hips.

"Oi! This is my kitchen and dinner is getting ready, not to be spoiled by snacks!" Mebuki shouted, the four arguing parties smiled sheepishly. "Go wash up, oh, Hinata this is everyone, and that's my husband, Kizashi, Sakura why don't you go sit at the table before you fall over."

"Yes mom," Sakura yawned. Hinata smiled broadly; her home was NOTHING like this one.

"Go take a seat at the table Hinata, dinner will be ready momentarily!" Mebuki announced.

"So Hinata, how are things going for you?" Kizashi asked her.

"V-v-very well, Mr. Haruno," she blushed as she took the seat across from Sakura.

"No need to be formal here; we do not stand on fromalities here, you're practically family if you're marrying Sasuke!" Kizashi announced as he smiled proudly at her. It was a fatherly pride that she had never seen from her own father and she found herself smiling because of it, it felt so loving and loud here… she was in love with it! They guys reappeared, Sai called Naruto dickless as Naruto shouted obscenities at Sai and Sasuke just shrugged when Sakura shot him a look as he sat beside Sakura. Hinata smiled a bit and blushed when Naruto flomped into the seat beside her.

"Language!" Mebuki shouted from the kitchen as she began bringing out dishes.

"Let me help!" Hinata tried to stand up to help but Sasuke and Sakura; who were in a glaring contest were already up and helping Mebukie before she could blink.

"No, just relax, dinner will be out in a moment, and Naruto, Sai Kizashi's watching you so don't steal anything!' Mebuki snapped. Both the young men glowered at the table, she chuckled, this was the most lively dinner she had ever attended and she hadn't eaten anything yet! And honestly, this was the family life she would want for her children but when the Uchiha and Sakura came back arguing, she didn't see this lively family life with him.

"So, Hinata, why don't you tell us about yourself; we know you're a Hyūga family member. And Naruto says you're a very talented kunoichi," Kizashi said when everyone was sitting for dinner. It was a free for all, and Hinata was loving it as she watched Sakura expertly fend off Naruto and Sai; who were sitting on her side of the table, and chatting with her mother who was sitting on the far end of the table.

"Uh…" she started shyly.

"Don't be modest! Hinata's awesome! Right Sakura?" Naruto demanded as he and Sai stole food from Sakura's plate.

"Hands off! And yes, very talented kunoichi," Sakura replied she swatted Sasuke's hand before he could steal the food as well. Hinata gawked when Sakura stole food from Kizashi's plate and Sasuke's.

"Mm… that's good, pass the dumplings dear," Mebuki ordered.

"Here," Sai said happily as he handed them over.

"Any hobbies Hinata, and don't be shy about fending for your dinner," Mebuki said cheerfully as she slapped Naruto's hand.

"Kn-knitting…" she stuttered as she quickly took a bite of something as it was passed by her. It was all so lively and it tasted wonderfully.

"That's a nice hobby, I wish Sakura would pick up hobbies," Mebuki shot a pointed look at Sakura.

"I read," Sakura declared, Hinata laughed as Naruto snickered.

"Mm-hmm, that's not a hobby, dear, it's a pass time," Mebuki countered.

"DAD!" Sakura screeched as she pulled her plate from her dad's reach and practically shoved it in Sasuke's face; Sasuke stole a bit when Sakura turned her glare on him. Hinata laughed.

She could get used to dinners here, even if she was marrying the Uchiha and not Naruto…

* * *

 **Still in a Naruto mood...**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! )**


	6. Chapter 6

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 6**

Naruto had always loved dinners at the Haruno house, and at one point he had been here so often with Sakura, Sasuke and Sai, that her parents had reverted the attic for him and Sai so they could have rooms in this small three room house over the bakery. Kakashi had never been mad about the move, if anything his guardian had seemed relieved he had somewhere else to stay, Naruto's old room here was open whenever he should need or want it and the Haruno's door was always open for him.

And honestly, being a part of Team 7 may have been his first family expierence but it had only sunk in all the more when Sakura had brought him and Sai home with her and Sasuke after their first day of training with Kakashi. He had never been in a house like the Harunos, and though Sasuke scowled he entire time, Naruto was addicted to being in this environment. It was alive, it was loving, it was something he had only ever witnessed from afar.

Mebuki and Kizashi had welcomed him in and he found himself with a family. Mebuki scolded him, worried about him, and praised him; even bragged about him, as if he were her own child. Kizashi was like a father to him, and taught him much about living life as true to oneself as possible. Sakura, Sasuke and Sai; well, they were like the siblings he had never had in his life and it was… to an orphan like him, despite having Jiraiya and Kakashi for guardians he had never had… this. And this was amazing.

"Any other hobbies besides knitting?" Mebuki asked Hinata as she swatted his hand again.

"N-no, training," Hinata stuttered, he grinned at her; she turned a brilliant shade of red and he felt something warm in his chest.

"You're on Team 8? Right?" Kizashi asked.

"Y-yes," she replied.

"Tell me, what is your specialty, Sasuke said that certain teams are specialized," Mebuki asked.

"T-tracking," she replied shyly. Naruto noticed that she relaxing bit by bit; it was obvious she liked it here, what wasn't there to like. And it was also clear Kizashi and Mebuki liked her; trust him when he said this; you knew when a Haruno did not like you, whether it'd be Sakura, Kizashi or Mebuki who declared whoever unwanted.

"I can't believe that jerk!" a shrill feminine voice declared as the door slammed.

"Oi Pig! Don't break the house!" Sakura shouted.

"I'm coming for diner Billboard Brow!" Ino shouted and appeared seething in the archway to the dining room. "Oh, hey Hinata."

"Hello Beautiful," Sai greeted, Sakura threw a chakra infused pea at him and Naruto snickered. Sai was not socially… advanced, and had nicknamed Sakura 'Ugly' when they had first met about seven years ago; both he and Sasuke had to tackle her before she broke Sai. Seven years later and she was still fuming at Sai's nickname for Ino.

"Hey Sai," Ino greeted, she grabbed a plate and made herself at him.

"So, Team 8?" Mebuki said returning to the original topic. "You're a tracking team?"

"Yes, with the Byakugan it made sense, and Kiba and Akamaru, and Shino with his bugs, tracking was an easy specialty to obtain," she explained cheerfully. He was relieved she was loosening up and being more outspoken as she relaxed.

"That makes sense, I bet you and your team are wonderful at tracking if that's the case. So, the jerk? Who was it?" Mebuki turned her attention on Ino and those two got into it.

"So, how are you liking dinner Hinata?" Naruto asked her. Sakura and Sasuke were at it again as they were now arguing about switching seats so Sasuke didn't have to sit beside Ino. She smiled happily.

"I've never been at a livelier diner!" there was a bit of shuffling as she spoke.

"Baby," Sakura grumbled.

"Annoying!" Sasuke snapped back.

"Play nice kids!" Kizashi snapped. Sasuke glared at Sakura, she stuck her tongue out at him before turning her attention to the conversation Sai, Mebuki and Ino were having.

"Yeah, I suppose this is a pretty lively diner," Naruto chuckled as Sasuke listened to Kizashi.

"Is it always like this?" she asked as he handed her a dish he saw her eyeing.

"Pretty much, the Haruno table is open to anyone brave enough to endure their diners," Naruto chuckled.

"I like it," she smiled as she took her portion.

"Really!?" he asked in disbelieving delight; most people ran the other direction from the Haruno family diners. They were loud, boisterous, wild events.

"Yes, I've never been to such a happy diner outside of dining with my Team," she admitted to him. Pride swelled in his chest.

"You're marrying Sasuke!?" every head snapped to Ino who was staring at Hinata like she was a stranger now.

"Y-y-yes?" she stuttered out.

"Oh Kami! This calls for a girls night! Celebration! Boozes! Trolling for guys! And dressing up! You'll have to tell us all about it another night!" Ino declared happily.

"Alright," Hinata relaxed again.

"You'll get used to Ino, she's here quite often," Kizashi informed Hinata.

"Oh," Hinata said. Naruto hid his scowl at the thought of Hinata being here and being married to the teme who was sitting beside Sakura looking quite bored. It wasn't alright, and this wasn't fair. Again he wanted to pummel something to rubble. Naruto didn't like this situation; and he despised hating his best friend; especially when Sasuke didn't want to be in this situation any more than Hinata did.

Damn the council!

"So, Naruto, are you ready for the A-class mission Sakura got you guys?" Kizashi asked him, dragging him out of his dark desires.

"Dad! That was a surprise for tomorrow!" Sakura hissed as she peered around Sasuke.

"An A-mission!?" he demanded eagerly; momentarily distracted.

"Yeah, you, Sai and Sasuke; with Kakashi's help of course; I can't go this time," Sakura admitted.

"Oh?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, Tsunade has lessons for me, and I might be teaching my own team," she admitted.

"Huh!?" Naruto blinked, this was the first he was hearing of this.

"Don't you do enough already Ugly?" Sai asked, she chucked another pea at him.

"That was what today's meeting was about," she said blandly.

"It was?" Sasuke lifted a skeptical brow at her.

"Shut up! It was, and be grateful I even got you guys a mission!" she hissed at Sasuke.

* * *

Diner was the usual theatrical event it was, and now she was walking Hinata home with Sasuke.

"So teaching?" Hinata asked softly.

"Yeah, I feel I need to take another step in my training as a kunoichi," Sakura admitted. In truth she had thought it a good idea because Tsunade wanted to cut her hours at the hospital, and unless Sasuke mysteriously disappeared from her apartment she wanted somewhere to legitimately be to avoid her slipping up around him. Sometimes it was so tempting to walk up, grab his collar, yank him down to her level and kiss his brains out; but she refrained because:

She was not Ino and

He'd probably torture her to death or check her into the asylum.

So yes, she would continue hiding her love and evading the Uchiha to the best of her abilities without appeared suspicious to him. They had known each other way too long in her mind because she couldn't hide anything from him unless she was trying at all times. One look, one moment of weakness, one slip up and it was all over for her; he'd know and probably hate her.

"That sounds nice," Hinata admitted softly.

"I thought it sounded like fun," she admitted. "Well, here we are Hinata, the Hyūga compound; see you later!" Sakura waved as she left Sasuke and Hinata behind. She made it two blocks before Sasuke damn near gave her a heart attack with his appearing at her shoulder.

"Kami! Sasuke! Stop that!" she snapped when he appeared, he poked her seal then and shook his head.

"May we speak now?" he asked coldly.

"Yeah, now about your arranged marriage, I don't think you can get out of it; not after you stun of hunting Itachi and killing him," Sakura informed him.

"Tch," he grumbled.

"However, I know you're right about Hinata liking Naruto," Sakura informed him.

"Of course," he replied superiorly, she jabbed him with her elbow.

"Got off the high horse, Naruto likes her back," Sakura admitted.

"Perfect, they'll elope!" he decided.

Now she palmed her face as she groaned.

"Sasuke, I know you've never paired anyone or set them up, but it's not easy," she sighed as she looked up at him. "This isn't going to be easy, Hinata is very traditional and well… Naruto's Naruto, but we'll over look that factor. Unless you have a plan for this, I don't know what to do about this."

He scowled at her.

"Don't give me that look, Uchiha, you asked and I'm telling you! unless you have some secret plan that does not involve violence, treason, or pretty much any of your usual tactics then I've got nothing," she snapped. She stopped walking then as the world swayed a bit for her.

* * *

"Sakura?" he stopped, grabbed her shoulder when she swayed a bit.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"You need to sleep more," he stated the fact.

"I'm fine!" she argued.

"Hn?" he lifted a brow as he released her, she swayed a bit more. Rolling his eyes he grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder before she could argue about what he was doing.

"Hey! Put me down!" she shouted.

"Make me, you are chakra depleted and exhausted, if you can get out of my grasp I'll let you go to work tomorrow, else I'm calling you in sick," he snapped. She struggled against him, but he and she, both knew she was not escaping his hold. Even as he tightened it around her slight frame.

"Naruto's right, you really are a teme!" she grouched as she slumped over his shoulder. He smirked with his win. "I'll get you back for this!"

"Aa," was all he said. They walked through the village with her secure over his shoulder. If people didn't know them he was certain he would be arrested for kidnapping, but people did know them and knew he harassed Sakura as much as she annoyed him. This was sadly, probably not a knew sight to the villagers.

"You're a pain in the ass," she informed him.

"You're annoying," was all he countered as he made his way up their apartment building stairs. Opening the door to their apartment he took her to her room and dropped her on her bed as he snatched the phone from her before she could set her alarm. Dialing the number for her work he scowled down at her.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Haruno Sakura is ill and will not be attending tomorrow, do not summon her for anything," he snapped.

"Oh good, you finally intervened, I don't know why she insists on working herself into an early grave, thank you Sasuke!" one of Sakura coworkers declared happily. He hung up then.

"You didn't need to do that!" she snapped, though her edge was lost when she yawned. He frowned. "What, I'm just a little tired."

"Look in the mirror Haruno! And tomorrow you and I are making a strategy for the marriage!" he snapped as he left her in her room; he had taken her phone with him as good measure she wouldn't counter his call. He heard her yawn and grumble about him being controlling as he left but he didn't care as he left her in her room to sleep. Blinking his Sharingan came to life and he turned to Sakura's chakra direction, it was dormant like she was asleep. Yep, she was exhausted.

Stubborn, annoying pinkette!

And with that thought he walked into his room and fell onto the bed. Diner had been nice, and it was good not to have to stand on tradition and manners. But that was life with the Haruno family, it had always been that way though. And he liked it.

* * *

 **Don't get used to getting two chapters a day from me on this piece.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 7**

Sasuke was well aware of what the pinkette was trying to do come six in the morning when he was waiting for her at the door when she tried sneak out the next morning.

"Going somewhere?" he asked when she appeared in their living room, he was leaning on the front door staring balefully at her when she came tiptoeing out of her room.

"Kami! Are you trying to kill me Sasuke!?" she yelped as she leapt back, a kunai in hand before she put her weapon away and rubbed her brow. He frowned at her, she looked ready to collapse.

"Back to bed Haruno!" he snapped.

"I have work!" she argued.

"Bed. Now. Or I'll knock you out," he threatened.

"That didn't happen the first time," she pointed out as she brought up the old memory.

Just before Sai had joined their Team, he had been bitten by Orochimaru and given the Curse Mark. At thirteen, just before Sakura's fourteenth birthday, he had tried to leave, she had intersected him without telling anyone about his leaving. The fight that had ensued had had all of the shinobi in the village come running; it was also the first time Sakura had figured out how to use her chakra as monstrous strength in a punch or kick. If he had known that was her intentions in that fight he'd have countered her moves; but at the time both thirteen year olds had been too stunned by her actions to really react. Then the shinobi were on him and he was locked away. Kami had that ever hurt; she had broken several of his ribs, a leg and both his arms with that one punch; now though… well, they may not have been evenly matched, he being superior to her still, but it was now a hell of a fight.

After that particular fight Sai, from the Foundation, had been assigned to their Team with Captain Yamato; Kakashi had his hands full with keeping Naruto in check so the other two had joined to keep him from Orochimaru's clutches, and to prevent him from killing Sakura. Not that it had really mattered, Tsunade had taken a keen interest in Sakura and started training her almost immediately, Naruto was off training with Jiraiya, and he… well he had had a new set of babysitters as they tried to train him and keep him locked up.

Oh yes, that memory and all it led to riled his temper, but it wasn't going to work.

Her tactics weren't going to work with the old memory she had brought up, he knew her tactics and he refused to rise to her bait. She was trying to rile him. And just because he hadn't succeeded in knocking her out the first time, did not mean he was not capable of the feat now. A lot had changed in seven years, and now; he could decimate her with ease, and they both knew it.

"We both know I will decimate you, you can't catch me off guard now," he snarled.

"I heal, you don't," she pointed out.

"Only when you have chakra, and you are out," he snapped as he stalked over to stand before her, his height looming over her threateningly. She folded her arms as she pulled a pout. He glared at her.

"FINE!" she surrendered, she threw up her hands in the process as she stomped back to her room. There was a slam of the door, he sighed and then transported to her window just as it slid open. She had a foxish grin on her lips as he stood there on the sill when she noticed him.

"Damn it!" she snapped.

"To. Bed. Now." He repeated as he poked her seal and shoved her back into her room as he entered her room through that damn window and slammed it shut behind him.

"You're way worse than Sai or Naruto!" she snapped, he just out waited her as she peeled off the clothes she had pulled on and yanked on her sleep chirt.

"They do not live with you," he pointed out to her.

"You are impossible!" she snapped. He waited until she was in that bed though before grabbing her desk chair and sitting in the corner of her room as he pulled out his sword and started sharpening it. "You can leave, I'm in the bed, I am going to sleep!"

"Uh-huh," he didn't believe her for two seconds.

"You're a pain in the ass," she grumbled.

"Sleep now, or I will knock you out," he informed her coldly. She scowled then she yanked her covers over her head as she spun around so her back was to him. He just rolled his eyes as he continued to work on sharpening his weapon as he again ignored the desires to strangle the pinkette.

Patience was his ultimate weapon when dealing with Sakura.

The pinkette had very little patience or she had a great deal of patience; depending on how you looked at it, but then again… he was more determined than she at this moment. Sakura's chakra settled, and he just continued sharpening his weapon.

As he expected she was sleeping soundly for hours, it was well past noon when she finally woke. A sea foam colored eye peeked over her shoulder to glare at him. He lifted a brow at her in turn as he returned her disgruntled glare.

"Can I get up now or do I need a note from my mother?" she demanded coldly.

"I am certain your mother's note would not help your cause but rather mine," he replied icily.

"I really, really, really hate you," she grumbled with a yawn.

"Get up, the dobe is coming, no doubt for the mission," he informed her as he felt Naruto's chakra moving towards their apartment. She sighed, he just shrugged as he stood up and left her. She was still so damn annoying! Honestly it was almost unfathomable how annoying she was. Sakura however did not even seem to realize what a nuisance she was when she was even when she was half exhausted.

Sasuke left Sakura to speak with the dobe and Sai about the coming mission; he honestly wasn't all that concerned about it; mostly because he wasn't going, he had plans to make with Sakura to get the hell out of this marriage. Besides, Yamato would be happy to go in his place. And even if Sakura wasn't coming; which was somewhat of a relief, because he needed to formulate said plans. And seeing as how it was to involve some powerful lord and a war lord; the last thing he needed was some powerful lord swooning over Sakura; that had been annoying last time.

Shikamaru had been no help that time either, and he didn't have faith in Sai or Naruto to help him play keep away with Sakura.

Also he was going to need her help after the dobe left to devise a plan to get Hinata and the dobe together to get the hell out of this marriage. See, he wasn't going to disobey the council, however… that didn't mean he couldn't be sneaky and underhanded about getting others to do his dirty work to disobey the council. It wasn't like Naruto or Hinata would really get into trouble; first offense and all… Being sneaky and all was something shinobi were supposed to be; well, maybe the dobe wasn't sneaky or quiet; but that was beside the point! If he could just get out of the marriage, and appear to have had nothing to do with getting out of the marriage, then he couldn't be blamed for anything that happened.

"Mebuki," he greeted as he walked through the market.

"Oh Sasuke! It's so nice to see you again so soon!" Mebuki jumped with a shock and then she hugged him tightly.

He just let her, she had been something like a foster mother or an aunt to him when he had been growing up. Not his mother, no one would ever replace his family, however he'd admit that the Haruno family was something he had come to think of as his own in a way.

"Please tell me you got her to go to sleep yesterday," Mebuki pleaded, he took her grocery bags from her as he decided to join her on the walk home.

"Hn," he nodded.

"Thank you," she smiled sweetly at him. He nodded as he walked with her. "She really does work too hard! I don't know why she does that! She's going to work herself into an early grave!"

He shrugged; Sakura's work habits were not something he'd be too concerned with, at least until she was at the point of nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

"Hinata is sweet, you must be pleased with that match, she will be a good wife." Mebuki smiled.

He scowled.

"Anyway, thank you Sasuke," Mebuki said when they arrived at the bakery.

"Aa," he acknowledged as he left her behind.

Now he was going to go kill something. What or who, he didn't care but if anyone else seemed to think this marriage was a good idea, he was murdering them too.

* * *

"Well," a voice hissed.

"Everything is as it should be, we are readying our end, and you," he rasped.

"Just so long as the village is open I will make my move," the shadow rasped.

"Alright, the Uchiha and nine-tails will be within your reach," he said softly. "They have taken the mission from the Hokage."

"By the time they realize the trap it will be too late," the shadow purred.

"Good, keep it that way," he rasped as they parted. There were plans in play that would require the village to be vulnerable. It was just a shame that Tsunade's apprentice would not join Team 7 on this little outing, he'd have rather had her here than out; he wanted to kill her personally. Let Tsunade suffer the loss.

* * *

Sakura was waiting for Sasuke when he was finished with his training.

"Feel better?" she asked when he was stalking off of the training grounds.

"Hn," he snarled.

"You know mission briefings work better when you attend," she informed him sarcastically. He glared at her, she smiled cheekily.

"Hn," he growled out.

"Want to go a couple of rounds?" she asked.

"No," he replied indifferently. "I want to get out of this marriage!"

"Alright, alright, I get it," she sighed. "So, this harebrained scheme of you getting Naruto and Hinata together, any plans?"

"No," he grumbled. She sighed, of course he didn't have a plan. The Uchiha was no matchmaker, and he certainly wasn't a people person.

"Ugh! Do you have any idea how difficult you are making this?" she demanded as she leaned on the wall. He scowled at her, she could feel her inner mind smashing her head against a wall; brick head. She was going to throttle the pain in the ass Uchiha!

"No?" he questioned as he scowled even deeper at her.

"This is going to be a lot harder than I thought," she sighed.

"We could get Sai's help," he shrugged.

And now came the hysterical laughter as she fell backwards holding her stomach.

"Hn?" he raised a brow at her then, but she couldn't stop her laughing. The Uchiha; who was socially challenged already and Sai; who was the next best thing to a social retard (no offense Sai, she thought); working together to get the biggest block heads on the planet to marry Hinata before the end of the year! The images in her head alone were enough to have her dying of laughter.

Oh they were ever so screwed.

"I think I'm going to go fight your brother with one hand tied behind my back, and blindfolded," she laughed.

"Not funny," he informed her blandly.

"Well, from my point of view that's what you're asking me to do with all the help you're offering!" she snapped at him as she got up from where she had fallen.

"Annoying," he snapped. She sighed as her head fell up to the sky.

"We're doomed, screwed, I might as well just go ask Orochimrau for help!" she stated as she stomped off. Unbelievable! Sasuke was doomed if that was his idea of an idea!

* * *

 **It's Back!**

 **Yup, Rewrites are still underway but it's back and will be finished before September!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	8. Chapter 8

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 8**

Planning to get people together meant Sakura had to get reinforcements because Sasuke was thinking of asking Sai and they'd be doomed. And since he wasn't going on the mission she had arranged for her boys to take so she'd have a moment of peace to think and possibly work on accepting Uchiha Sasuke marrying Hinata. Also, the ass had gone about cancelling her teaching, he had gone straight to Tsunade and said she was going to fall over from exhaustion. Which had, in the process of getting her off of teaching gotten her two weeks leave from the hospital which had her sitting in her apartment for the next two weeks with nothing to do but plan getting Sasuke out of the marriage.

Which had her walking through the market right now looking for her reinforcements.

The blonde would be tough to miss and as she looked around the market she was irked she couldn't find Pig to recruit her. After all, Ino was a sucker for setting up people in love, and she liked it when it worked out with a 'happily ever after' in the process.

"Sakura! Sakura! wait up! Come on Hinata!" Ino's voice shouted over the crowd in the market. She turned with a smile to see her best friend and the young Hyūga heiress shoving their way through the crowd. Though, Ino was dragging Hinata after her… damn it, there went her recruitment plans.

Sakura stomped down viciously on the feeling of dislike she had boiling up in her at the sight of Hinata. It wasn't fair to hate the Hyūga girl because she was engaged to the Uchiha; no one was aware of how she truly felt for him so she didn't have a claim on him. Besides, the council's decision was final, though she would help Sasuke to get out of this marriage by setting Hinata and Naruto up; she hoped. There was a small part of her mind which pointed out that there was a possibility that this wouldn't work.

"Hey Ino, hello Hinata, what's up?" Sakura asked when they were close enough to her.

"We were going to go shopping for dresses, Hinata needs a wedding dress!" Ino announced.

"Uh…" Hinata blushed deeply then.

"What is it Hinata?" Sakura asked before Ino could blow over the poor girl. Hinata wasn't very good at asserting herself, but Sakura chalked that up to being in the Hyūga home where Neji and Hanabi who were considered prodigies in the home while Hinata was not. Sakura knew that Hinata was unbelievably smart and talented; just no one ever seemed to believe in her outside of her former Teammates, Kiba and Shino.

"It's a traditional wedding," she muttered as she turned red. Sakura felt a pang but knew the Uchiha would probably appreciate a traditional wedding more than a modern wedding.

"Ah," Sakura nodded in understanding then. Ino just looked dejected then.

"Drat, anyways, since we're together let's go have lunch and you can tell me all about the wedding plans!" Ino declared happily.

"Oh, Ino, who was the jerk yesterday?" Sakura asked as they started walking through the village towards their café. Hinata looked a little interested in the topic change, Sakura just wanted to stop thinking about Sasuke getting married.

"Shikamrau! He stood me up for our date! Can you believe the nerve of him!?" Ino demanded as she scowled. Sakura sighed.

Despite what the village thought Ino was not dating Sai; Ino was Sai's 'social tutor' in many ways. Ino was not tactful, she was blunt, and she made her points known to Sai; in a strange way Sakura guessed they were friends; though Sai would never call Ino his friend. Sai's list of friends extended to her, her family, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi and Yamato; everyone else was an unknown for him.

"I thought you were with Sai," Hinata said softly.

"Huh? Is it because he calls me Beautiful?" Ino asked, blushing profoundly for a moment.

"Uh… yes," Hinata replied hesitantly.

"Oh, no, don't be silly; Sai calls me Beautiful because he was learning how to give nicknames then and Naruto scolded him for nearly calling Chōji the f-word and after he named Sakura Ugly he decided to go with opposites," Ino explained. "Beautiful stuck for me, and Ugly stuck for Sakura."

"No need to be smug about it, especially when yours was only said as an opposite to what he was thinking, Pig!" Sakura grumbled. Oh! How she loathed the nickname Ugly! Sasuke had tackled her that day, and Naruto had helped him restrain her before she could attack Sai for calling her Ugly; all three of them were bruised when she was done with them.

"So why did Shikamaru stand you up this time?" Sakura asked.

"He said he didn't know it was a date, and Temari was in the village for the Chūnin Exams." Ino said dejectedly. "You know; I think he's got a thing for her."

"I'm sorry Ino," Hinata patted her friend's shoulder then.

"Well, it is probable; but if it makes you feel better Gaara will probably kick his ass for being with his sister," Sakura pointed out. The Kazekage was not the best of brothers from her understanding but she knew enough about brothers to know he would still defend his sister even when she was a pain in his ass.

"Probably, anyway, I'm over him; I think I'll go out with Kiba, give him a try. He's sweet," Ino decided.

"Please don't hurt him," Sakura heard Hinata whisper, Sakura felt compassion for the young Hyūga for that was exactly what she said when Ino had set her sights on Sai once. Ino missed this though.

"I don't need stupid Shikamaru to be my boyfriend I'll get one all on my own and when I do Shikamaru will regret it. Even Sai agreed Shikamaru was stupid!" Ino declared in triumph.

"Ino, think before you act," was all Sakura could say as she let Ino go off in her fantasy land and turned her attention onto Hinata. "So, your wedding; are you excited?"

"Truthfully, no," Hinata admitted shyly and Sakura stopped then. True she knew Hinata had a crush on Naruto, and Naruto apparently had been struck by lightning and noticed he liked her back; but that had not been the answer she was expecting.

"What? Why?" Sakura demanded.

"Well, Sasuke is scary, and I don't want to marry someone as scary as him. He's always so quiet and ominous, and he's really got a menacing presence," Hinata admitted as she stared at the ground.

"He's about as scary as a kitten, he's always been quiet unless his temper's riled, he's not ominous, just hurting, and yes, he's menacing but Hinata he'd never hurt you. Surely you realize this?" Sakura defended. She didn't know why she wanted to defend the Uchiha to Hinata when he was hell bent on escaping this marriage, but she felt compelled to defend him.

"Maybe, I just… I don't know, he scares me Sakura," Hinata admitted.

Sakura felt like she had been sucker punched as she walked after the Hyūga heiress to the restaurant. Sasuke wasn't scary, just lonely, could no one see how terribly alone he was?

She made it through the next two hours drifting between fury, hope and shock from what Hinata had said when she finally waved her friend off at the Hyūga compound and she started walking with Ino then.

"Alright Forehead, I know you were looking for me, and just so you know you're inner was not happy when I tried to prod, when will you get her under control!?" Ino winced as she rubbed her temples.

"When you stop trying to pry into my head, uninvited Pig," Sakura replied hotly which had Ino laughing as they walked.

"So what's up?"

"Well, I have a secret favor to ask you; care to chat about it in your apartment?" Sakura said.

"Oooooo! A secret! Yes, what are we doing, are we finally giving you a makeover finally or did you finally get a date!" Ino was all but dancing with glee as they made their way to Ino's apartment.

"Well, if you get that shimmying ass of yours' into your apartment I'll tell you what's up and even as you to help me out," Sakura growled through gritted teeth which had her and Ino walked in then. Ino slammed the door and locked it as her lips curled into a malicious smile.

"Spill it Forehead."

"A favor from the Uchiha, and if he recruits Sai we are so royally fucked in this situation it isn't even funny," Sakura said as she sprawled onto the couch and rubbed her temple.

"And just what are you and the Uchiha planning?" Ino asked as she flopped into her favorite chair.

"I need you to help me get Naruto and Hinata to elope in a year," Sakura finally said and Ino blinked.

"YES!" she leapt up. "I will help! Does this mean you and Sasuke are actually lovers?" Ino demanded and Sakura gaped at her friend.

"INO!" she roared. "I am not the Uchiha's lover! He'd chuck me off a cliff! Now focus, we need a plan," Sakura snapped. And her blonde friend grabbed a notepad and a pen as they started brainstorming.

* * *

Since this morning when Sasuke had given up his role on their mission to tend to Sakura who was about to collapse from exhaustion Kakashi had been thinking over the announcement of Sasuke's engagement.

Why? One may wonder, why would he mull over this perfect match between the Uchiha and the Hyūga Clan.

Well it was really simple. For as lazy as Kakashi was known to be, he was an extremely observant man. Granted his former charge had often times taken up all of his attention, Naruto had been an unbelievably loud and exuberant child; he still had trouble understanding why Minato had entrusted his and Kushina's son to him at the time of their deaths; he had only been eighteen at the time. Then again, the baby had been a good distraction from the loss of Rin and Obito; it was strange the things you only noticed after the death of someone you cared about; like love.

Anyways, he had always been observant which had served him well in raising Naruto, and being the leader of Team 7.

Uchiha Sasuke, though more laidback now, had always been a tough character to get a read on. There were only four things Kakashi knew for certain about the Uchiha even after all these years. One; he feared the wrath of Haruno Mebuki and her rolling pin (but the entire village feared that). Two; Sasuke and Naruto were best friends; though they were just as much rivals as they were friends. Three; he was a prideful creature, who respected loyalty and honor above all else. And four; Haruno Sakura was the person he was closest too, their bond was undefined, but they had always been close (whether it was when they strangling each other or just sitting beside each other in peace).

Watching Naruto and Sai as Yamato lead the group made him remember something he hadn't thought about in a long while.

Back when he had first come to be in charge of Team 7; despite his ward's claims of unrelenting love for the pinkette assigned to the team to keep Sasuke in check; he had always had a perverse hope that Sasuke and Sakura would end up together. Strange, he knew, but those two were practically made for each other, if ever there had ever been a pair more tailored for one another it was them.

Now though there was a problem, time had not flowed the way it was supposed to between the Uchiha and the pinkette. The two most stubborn members of his team had failed to notice what they were before this mess had come along, and now he was going to be a good Team captain and fix this.

It helped Naruto had a huge crush on the Hyūga heiress; one could not raise a child and not notice when they were practically in love.

Then again…

He had missed Rin's affections for him.

Perhaps after this mission, it would be time to have a visit with Jiraiya about this matter. He felt like this would not only be entertaining writing material, but he was going to need reinforcements to get this to go how it was supposed to go. After all, Uchihas and Harunos were stubborn, oblivious creatures, and Naruto… well, Naruto was Naruto. And Sai was useless in the help department, Kakashi decided he'd be sending that missive to Naruto's godfather after this mission.

* * *

 **Okay, 12 years was totally worth the wait for Finding Dory! So Cute! So very happy with it, and if you haven't seen it you should totally see it!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	9. Chapter 9

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 9**

Sakura walked back to her apartment to find Sasuke reading on the couch, he looked up when she walked in and she smiled broadly.

"We have help," she informed him and he lifted his brow as he set aside the book and sat up from where he was laying on the couch, she dropped the paper of brainstorm ideas in his lap then and he looked it over as he followed her into the kitchen. She pulled out her dango, which she had been saving for a good day and today was definitely a good day.

"Ino?" he questioned.

"Do not question the women," she said between mouthfuls of her dango. "We're right, and if you want this to work, you will not read Icha Icha or ask Sai to help us," she said firmly.

"Sakura, why would I take Hinata to the summer festival, it defeats the purpose of setting her up with Naruto," Sasuke pointed out as she sat at the table.

"Because I am taking Naruto to the festival and we'll meet up and get separated from them leaving them together. Hinata's not allowed alone in the festival, and Naruto; even if he's as oblivious as a frickin' rock, will not leave Hinata alone; he's too nice like that. Then you and I part ways and you can do whatever it is you want to do on the night of the festival and I'll be hanging out with Ino and Sai," she smiled. The outline of the plan would work, but Sasuke had to not get Sai involved. Besides, it wasn't as if the festival would be disastorous and blow up in their faces in some catastrophe; it was the annual summer festival that the village held and nothing ever went wrong at this festival.

"Ah," he nodded.

"What's wrong?" she asked then seeing as how he wasn't interested in what she was planning. He looked at her and stood up, he returned a second later as he handed her the paper. Sakura looked at him and then looked at the paper as she slowly started reading it over. Her eyes widened and her jaw went slack as she stared at him then.

"When did you get this?" she sputtered out.

"It was in this morning's mail," he answered as he glared at the paper as if it were the bane of his existence.

"They can't be serious, that place has been abandoned since that night!" she gasped.

"Very serious, and if I do not have it up to standards to the Hyūga Clan's specifications within the month I will be fined the amount on the bottom of the page," Sasuke grumbled and she looked at the numbers on the bottom of the page then.

"Holy shit!" she yelped at the numbers then and then looked back at him. "Sasuke, my parents don't even have that is savings, and even combined we couldn't pay this fine off in incriments!"

"The Uchiha clan has this much and more in reserves, but I do not want to live there," Sasuke spat out and she sighed as she let the letter fall onto the table. She often times forgot Sasuke did not come from her class, he was in a class all of his own from a prestigious clan and everything. He was a prince living life as a pauper because her family had taken him in.

"Well, you're going to have to," she snapped. His eyes narrowed on her and she folded her arms as she scowled back at him.

"You know my family is not able to afford or pay for, this," Sakura pointed out.

"But I can afford the fine," he countered.

"I know, but for how long, and besides, you were always going to have to live there again when you started rebuilding your clan, aren't the old clans all about tradition and honor and family and all that nonsense?" she asked.

"And what about the new clans?" he challenged.

"Hey, don't look at me, I'm the first shinobi of my family; ever, and if I wasn't a shinobi I'd be a baker, and I'd be poor and on the street the moments my parents passed on," she pointed out flatly which had him smirking.

"Which is why you're a shinobi," he pointed out.

"No, I'm a shinobi so I could keep up with being able to kick your ass," she replied cheekily.

"I still do not want to live there," Sasuke snarled out.

"Sasuke, what if…" she pondered her next offer carefully as she mulled it over in her head. "What if I lived with you, at least until the wedding, or until Naruto and Hinata elope and then you don't have to live there," she offered.

"You want to live at the Uchiha compound?" he asked her icily.

"No, but I don't want to pay this fine," she huffed out as she folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. Sasuke groaned.

"Why the hell did it have to be a Hyūga?" he asked.

"That's a stupid question, especially with your kekkei genkai," she pointed out flatly and he glared at her as they sat there.

"This had better work," he grumbled.

"Well, there's a fifty-fifty shot at this failing, but we never know until we try," Sakura pointed out. "In the meantime, I'll alert my parents that we're moving again, and I'm keeping the apartment."

"Hn," he grunted as she stood up and walked to the door again.

"Sasuke, this will all either work out or blow up in our faces, but it could be worst," Sakura pointed out as she opened the door.

"How?" he snapped.

"We could be in the arranged marriage," she joked and left him behind as she went to notify her parents about the move. She took the letter with her and she jogged to the bakery before Sasuke could yell at her for her painful joke. He would never know that she loved him, and she was intending to keep it that way.

* * *

Sasuke stared at the shut door and he couldn't help but feel that there was something there he wasn't privy to knowing. He had known Sakura was hiding something behind that joke, he didn't know what she was hiding as he sat there and stared at the table and felt like banging his head against the wall with her and her secrets.

It was funny, the person he was probably closest to he didn't know everything about. She was easily the most baffling woman he had ever me in his life and he was usually left stumbling after her when he tried to figure her out.

However, it wasn't often that he was trying to figure her out, mostly because they had come to a sort of understanding that when they wanted to tell each other what was going on with themselves they would. With this in mind he reached over and picked up the paper which had Sakura's handwriting scrawled about it as he read over her writing as he thought over what was on this plane. She was at least helping him out with this attempt to get Hinata and Naruto together.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	10. Chapter 10

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 10**

Sakura walked with Sasuke to the abandoned district of the village and stared at the tattered police tape screaming that this was a crime scene. Uneasy with the abandoned, overgrown sight of his old home she shifted her bag from shoulder to shoulder. Sasuke also seemed uneasy with being here, she had a bad feeling about this entire experience as they walked into the old compound.

"So… this is the Uchiha compound," she said as they looked around uneasily.

"Aa," was the answer she received.

"This is going to take a long time," she sighed.

"Aa," he nodded.

"Well, where are we staying?" she prompted and they started walking towards a house. The door protested when Sasuke yanked it open, but she coughed when they were assaulted by musty air, and dust. Sasuke paled, but he walked into the house, she followed him, then she stopped beside him when they stared at two faded outlines, and the dark stains on the wood. She looked up to her friend and nudged him softly before placing a hand on his shoulder. She felt the tremor from him as he stared at the spot.

"We don't have to stay here," she murmured.

"This is the Head of the Clan's home, this is where I will live if I have to marry Hinata," he snarled and she sighed.

"Yes, but you're living with me right now, you don't need to live here if you don't want to," she murmured to him. an onyx eye looked at her through his bangs and he looked back at the old stains. Sakura's heart broke for him, for now she remembered the broken boy who had shown up at her family's home with her mother behind him firmly telling her father and her that her shinobi friend had passed and they were taking in her son. The eight year old boy had needed a family and her family had welcomed him in, he had needed friends and she had been his friend, he had needed a pain in ass to get him up, and she had been his pain in the ass. She had kicked him upwards and shoved him forward, she had never sugar coated anything for him though there had been times she wanted to.

Looking at the stains and the outlines, all faded and covered in dust from time, she knew she had done the right thing by being what he needed and not what he wanted.

"We're staying here," Sasuke murmured miserably.

"Whatever you want, but I'm cleaning those up if we're living here," she stated.

"Aa," he nodded and slowly they walked through the house, up towards the rooms. He slid a door of a musty room open and she poked her head in, it was a guest room and she silently slipped into it. She was about to thank him for the room but he was gone when she turned around. She shuddered in being creeped out by this house as she dropped her bags.

* * *

Sasuke walked to his old room's door, it was across the hall from Itachi's room, and he tensed as he reached for the door. Sliding it open he looked at it, exactly how he had left it thirteen years ago. Quietly he walked in, the first thing to catch his eye was a dusty photo of him and Itachi, part of him wanted to rip that picture into little itty bitty pieces then burn it into ash. But he couldn't, because that had been the good days.

The days before his brother had turned into a dangerous killer who had betrayed the village, attacked his best friends and slaughtered the entire Uchiha Clan to join the Akatsuki.

This was the last good memory he had of his brother, and though he hated his brother, he wanted to remember his brother before the massacre.

Instead he laid it down on it's face before he exited the room and slid it shut to hide it from his memories again. Then he walked to another guest quarters. Dropping his bags in the abandoned room he looked around and decided he'd do anything to not live here ever again. He would rather sleep in the apartment or over the bakery, or… anywhere else.

A yelp with a thudding crash had him darting out of the room.

"Sakura!" he shouted.

"Sorry," he looked at the stairs and rounded the corner then and found her at the bottom of them. "Spider web," she huffed out. he shook his head then as he walked down the stairs down to her. he offered her a hand, which she took out of reflex as he hoisted her up, she pulled the spider web out of her pink hair.

"You are annoying," he informed her as he tugged at her hair to help her out.

"I know," she sighed.

"Good," he informed her. Part of him would almost rathe take her up on her offer of marrying her instead of the painfully shy Hinata, but he didn't say that as he finished pulling the last of her spiderweb out of her hair.

"Alright, well, since we're here, we might as well start cleaning the place, it would be good to at least in a clean environment," she huffed.

"You're a walking wreck," Sasuke pointed out because she was never the one cleaning their apartment as it was.

"Hush on that!" she ordered.

"It's true," he stated flatly.

"I'm not that bad!" she argued as they walked out of the compound towards the market for supplies.

"Aa, you are," he assured her and poked the seal on her brow. She glared at him.

"Well then, I'll leave all the cleaning to you," she snapped.

"Just uproot the overgrown garden," he ordered.

"As if, I'm not some super girl or something," she snapped.

"Strength of a hundred," he poked again, she swatted at his hand as they walked and he smirked at how comfortable they were even when they walked into the haunted compound of the Uchiha family.

* * *

Hinata saw Sasuke and Sakura walking together through the village and she stopped when she saw Sasuke smile as he poked Sakura's brow. The entire world slowed for her at the sight of that look in his eye. The sucker punch of guilt and relief at the sight of them together had her hiding behind a pole as she tried to steady her heart.

She had to get out of this marriage, she had to do it before they got hurt.

She looked around the pole again and she saw the way Sakura lightly nudged Sasuke and the way the Uchiha pushed her back as they chatted and she smiled.

They didn't know it yet, she doubted they would've noticed it until it was gone or until they were apart from each other.

Uchiha Sasuke was in love with Haruno Sakura, and Haruno Sakura was in love with Uchiha Sasuke.

They were in love and from what she had seen just now they didn't even know it. A secret smile tugged at her lips as she walked alone in the village. All she'd have to do was get Sasuke to elope with Sakura and then she wouldn't have to marry the Uchiha. The only problem was she didn't know how to get out of this marriage which had her walking to the only girl she knew who would be able to help her get out of this marriage.

She walked straight to the apartment of Yamanaka Ino and knocked on the door without really thinking about what she was going to ask of the blonde. The door opened and Hinata smiled shyly.

"Hey Hinata! What's up? Come in!" Ino ushered her in and shut the door.

"Um…" Hinata bit her lip nervously and looked at Ino then.

"Well?" Ino prompted.

"I need some help," Hinata mumbled.

"Oh? And what do you need help with?" Ino asked then.

"How do you set two people up to… fall in love?" Hinata asked then.

"Um… why?" Ino asked.

"Well, Sasuke's in love with Sakura," Hinata admitted which had Ino blinking then as she leaned on the counter.

"He is?" Ino asked.

"Yes," Hinata nodded shyly. She hadn't been seeing things, or seeing something that wasn't there, or even been delusional. She had seen it, that look, the look of love and affection, she had seen it with how he was treating Sakura, and she had seen it in Sakura when she had seen how the pinkette smiled back at the Uchiha. It was all there, it was so quiet though it was easy to overlook, it was easy to miss, she was even certain they were missing it right now and she didn't want them to miss what they had.

Love, real love, it was real, it was rare, and it was special when it was found and she didn't want them to miss it.

"Well… that's new," Ino mumbled.

"It is?"

"Well, yeah, and yes I'll help you if this is the case," Ino said. "So what's the plan?"

* * *

Kakashi had sent a missive to Jiraiya on the way back to the Leaf, after a week of traveling with his moping ward, Sai and Yamato Kakashi was almost ready to endure Guy's antics for a month if only to get out of this stifling environment. He didn't think it had been that bad until he tried to talk about the wedding with Naruto. Innocently asking if Naruto was going to be Sasuke's best man or not.

That had put the dark cloud over Naruto's head and Kakashi wanted nothing more than to be away from the moping Naruto for a moment. It was hard to be around Naruto when he was like this.

But there was hope, hope for things to turn out how Kakashi was planning, he hadn't received a reply from Jiraiya yet but he was certain that Naruto's godfather would be eager to help set the Uchiha up with Sakura and Naruto up with Hinata. It would make for a great bit of inspiration no doubt for the writer and it would no doubt be a wonderful bit of entertainment.

Which was why Kakashi was eagr to return to the village.

He was thinking of unleashing his plans at the summer festival, nothing too dramatic, just… subtle. He was a shinobi, subtle was something he did well. He was certain he could subtly point his students in the right direction to getting their lives on track again.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	11. Chapter 11

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 11**

The summer festival was fast upon them and she found herself getting ready for it by looking through all her mother's old kimonos. Sakura wasn't really the clothes girl; it just wasn't practical when she always wore scrubs, training or mission gear and all of it was geared towards being practical. However even she could admit the practicality of maybe owning a few nice things of her own.

But alas, she didn't.

Also, she was too tired to go shopping, and Ino made shopping a sport worthy of knocking people out. Wherever her blonde girl friend found the energy to shop till she dropped, Sakura didn't know, and she didn't think she wanted to know as she looked through kimonos for something simple for the summer's festival. There were plans to be considered so she was also looking at the practicality of the outfits in question.

"Sakura?" a voice called out behind her.

"Up here," she shouted absently as she looked over the kimonos and sighed before looking over her shoulder with a smile at the blonde standing there.

"Guess what!?" Naruto beamed excitedly.

"I don't know, what?" she mused as she continued looking through her mother's clothes.

"Jiraiya is in town!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly which had her spinning around on him.

"WHAT!?" she shouted.

"Yeah! He greeted me at the gates before him and Kakashi went off drinking! He's coming to the summer festival! But he wants to meet my date," Naruto scowled at the last bit and she tried not to take offense to him scowling at the thought of taking her with him on a 'date'. It wasn't pleasing to her either; Naruto was like her brother and there were hers' and Sasuke's plans to consider as well and she didn't want to bungle those up. Else there'd be a death by a thousand painful glares from the Uchiha in question but Sakura tried not to dwell on that thought.

Still it hurt her minimal female pride that Naruto wasn't eager for their mock date.

"Well, he's going to have to love her," Sakura decided as she settled on a black kimono with blues and greens accenting it in a lovely pattern, it was her grandmother's, or so she had been told as she picked out a light blue obi for it and a few other acceseories. It would like nice, even with her pink hair accenting it.

"Oh, Jiraiya already likes you," Naruto grinned. She smiled softly as she walked with him.

Well, she wasn't going to be Naruto's date for the evening if everything went off as smoothly as she was hoping.

"So I'm still going as your date?" she mused as they walked down the stairs of the old house.

"Of course, the teme's going with Hinata, and Ino just asked Sai," Naruto said Hinata's name as if it pained him a little and she smiled.

"Since you asked me so nicely," she pointed out. "I'd love to go, pick me up at seven," she called as she walked towards the Uchiha compound.

* * *

Sasuke was reading over some of his father's old journals; which he had found in his hunt for formal garb for the summer's festival. Not too formal, but something traditional since Sakura was going through the troubles of digging through her mother's things to find something nice and Hinata would no doubt be decked out in the Hyūga's formal garb as well. Sasuke heard her walk into the house and felt himself relax when he heard her familiar rhythm of walking as she sauntered up the stairs and past his room. She never looked at him as she walked into the room besides his, and disappeared.

He didn't know why, well, he did, but he could never completely understand the appeal of always living with Sakura. Mostly he lived with her because she had been the most constant thing in his life since he had been eight years old and alone in this world. But another part of him, the grown up part of him, just thought of her as his for some reason.

He didn't understand that line of thinking; especially since they had been known to see other people. But he would always wait up for her when she went on dates, and she was always awake when he returned from his romps.

"Did you find something interesting?" he looked over at the pinkette as she sauntered into his room then.

"Aa, father's journals," he answered her as she sat beside him and he handed her one. She took it and started reading as he picked up another and started reading as well.

For a long while there was silence, only the turning of the pages told him that he had company at this moment as he read his father's script intently, desperately looking for something. Anything. He wanted to know, he needed to know, but he didn't know what he was looking for as he read the dull and dreary clan records over.

"Your father doesn't seem… happy," Sakura finally broke the silence and his eyes flicked up to her. Compared to her father, no one ever appeared happy. Haruno Kizashi was the happiest, loudest, funniest man ever created on this planet and he always had a laugh over something.

"My father was very strict," Sasuke said suddenly, remembering his father's disappointed scowl when he was five and still couldn't perform the fire jutsus perfectly.

"That's dull," Sakura commented, he smirked then.

"He was the head of the clan," he pointed out.

"Yes, and so are you, but I don't think you'd ever be this… boring," she admitted as she flipped the page of her own journal. He shrugged; he was pretty boring when he thought about it. His life revolved around missions, Harunos, Haruno Sakura, and missions, with the occasional outing for drinking or sex; depending on his mood. He was dull.

"Hn," he shrugged.

"Sasuke, you're not boring, you're annoyingly mysterious, and women love that," Sakura commented flatly. He smirked and they continued their reading in relative silence.

* * *

Mebuki did her normal thing on her day off from the bakery and that was her monthly trip to the Uchiha grave to tell her best friend how her son was doing.

"Hey Mikoto," Mebuki greeted as she sat before her friend's grave.

"So, where to start: Sasuke's getting married. I know, I know, he's too young, but let me tell you this, he's in good hands. The Hyūga girl seems nice, a tad bit on the quiet side, but she's nice. Also, he's moved back to the Uchiha compound, I know he never wanted to go back there but he and Sakura are now living there.

"He's going to the summer's festival with Hinata, just so you know.

"Honestly Mikoto, I don't think she's right for your boy, but that is just my civilian opinion. I feel he needs a girl with a little more fire, a little more spirit, but that is just my opinion.

"Remember when he and Sakura were babies and we planned for them to get married?" she chuckled as she fell back in the grass.

"Ah, but those days died once they started talking and screaming no whenever they were near each other. You'd be surprised at how courteous they can be with one another now, they even willing live together. It took Kizashi and I by surprise, we were half expecting them to get married with how together they have been lately. It's like watching an old married couple," Mebuki mused.

"Let's see, what else has been going on…

"There's been no news of Itachi, I don't know if he's alive or dead at this point anymore; so many wild rumors running around about him. But I don't know if you want to hear about him. He's still a known member of the Akatsuki, the rumor last month was he was working with Orochimaru, but I don't know. I don't know what's going on with that child of yours', he always seemed so collected and then he snapped and now…

"And now I've raised your youngest when you should be here," Mebuki sighed miserably. "Sasuke misses you, he doesn't say anything, but you know the Uchiha men, and women now that I think about it. You guys were always so collected, played it all close to the vest, I guess it only serves you right to do so in the end. However, the boy won't say it but you can see it, he misses you. I know he'll never say this, but he also misses Itachi, and his father, but I suppose that's only fair. I wasn't a replacement for you, I'm not his mother; perhaps his aunt, but I'm not his mother," Mebuki admitted.

"But's he's turned out to be a fine, strong young man, I think you'd be proud of him. I'm proud of him, I just don't think the Hyūga girl is right for him.

"Oh, last month Mrs. Ackimichi…" she trailed off to catch her best friend up on all the local gossip then.

* * *

 **A little contradictory, I know, just trust me.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 12**

"Help!" she called out, which had him rolling his eyes as he stood up and walked into her room where he saw her struggling to tie her obi.

"Hold still," he ordered as he spun her back to him and then he started pulling her obi in place. Leave it to the pinkette to get her obi messed up, she was lucky he wasn't leaving right now to go get Hinata to meet her and Naruto at the festival. He had a really bad feeling about tonight and he didn't want to go to this festival. But he'd endure it if it meant he got out of this arranged marriage before the end of the year when he was supposed to meet Hinata at the alter.

"Annoying," he hissed as he struggled with her obi.

"Yeah, yeah, just shut up and tie the stupid thing," she grumbled and he caught a sweet fragrance off her skin then and leaned closer.

"You smell different," he announced which had her stiffening, then he noticed how closely he had leaned over her and pulled away again as continued tugging at her obi.

"Yeah, I decided to try a new body soap Ino got me," Sakura admitted.

"Smells nice," he decided as he finished the obi and stepped away from her.

"Alright, now, you're going to go now to go get Hinata and while you do that I'm going to finish getting ready so when Naruto comes for me I at least look the part of a date," Sakura said as she shoved him out of her room. Sasuke didn't protest as he left her behind and hurried away from her before he did something stupid like bury his nose in the crook of her neck and indulge on that scent.

He hadn't ever really noticed it but he liked how Sakura smelled, and then she goes and changes her scent and he likes the change as well. Shaking his head of these disturbing thoughts he walked towards the Hyūga compound and religiously reminded himself that Sakura was like a sister to him. She was the daughter of his guardians, she was his teammate, and she was his roommate, she was probably a friend of his in some demented way, but she was definitely family. He was internally chanting it as he walked through the village.

Besides, it was Sakura for the love of Kami! She was the most annoying female; and pink; on the planet. He would not do something stupid where she was concerned.

Also, she was probably an enemy of his as well when he thought about it. After all, they had hated each other's guts when he had moved into the Haruno Bakery with her and her family.

He arrived at the Hyūga compound and was escorted inside where he was quietly awaiting Hinata under Hyūga Neji's watchful glare. Sasuke returned the baleful glare daring the man to say something and have an excuse to punch him.

However, nary a word passed from their lips as the waited in hostile silence.

* * *

Kakashi had made him buy formal garb for tonight's festival, something about if Sakura was dressing up then he should as well. He hated it as he tugged at his collar and tried to figure out how the robes were worn as he studied the diagram and tried to follow the instructions.

He wasn't exactly not looking forward to the festival, but he wasn't eager for it either.

Ever since the day he had figured out he liked Hinata his life had been turned upside and inside out. Honestly, that day had felt like he'd been smashed over the head by a two-by-four when it had finally sunk in for him that he liked Hinata. And he hated seeing Sasuke with Hinata, and tried to avoid the two of them. However, one could not avoid their best friend for forever, and he felt that if he at least had Sakura at his side he wasn't liable to do something stupid like rip the teme's throat out and shout he wasn't worthy of Hinata. Yes, this thought had crossed his mind at various times since he had figured out he liked Hinata. But he wasn't going to do anything about it, he wasn't going to act on the impulse to rip the teme apart.

Besides, Sakura would likely murder him if he killed Sasuke and that thought was a quick reason he wasn't doing anything stupid. Also he didn't know how Hinata would feel about having her fiancé ripped apart and left to die while she was dragged off by him.

Snarling in frustration he finally just tied a knot and decided to go to Sakura for help. She'd know how to do this thing up for him.

Stalking through the village he walked to where Sakura was now residing; the creep, haunted Uchiha district of the village and walked into the main house then.

"Sakura! I need help!" he shouted, her pink head poked from around the corner of the upstairs balcony.

"What happened?" she asked as she hurried towards him.

"I can't figure this stupid thing out, help," he ordered and Sakura started undoing the knots he had set up in place so he hadn't lost his clothes on the trip here. she was quick as she fixed up his garments. He noticed a green a blue ornament holding her shot pink hair up and admired how it glittered in the evening light of the house. It was pretty.

"Do we have to go to the summer festival?" he finally asked.

"Yes, we're meeting up with Hinata and Sasuke and we're going to have a fun evening," Sakura said firmly as she tugged on his middle and he looked down at her as she tugged at the fabric of his new garments.

"Kakashi said I needed formal wear since we were… you know, going on a not real formal date?" he guessed.

"You look handsome," Sakura suddenly said and he frowned.

He doubted that, all the girls always flocked to Sasuke, and none would look twice at him. Hinata probably wouldn't even notice him tonight, he thought irritably.

* * *

Hinata was not eager about tonight as she was helped with her garb for the evening. The silk was tucked and folded, moved to hide her voluptuous figure in her garments. She was nervous though, nervous that Ino's idea wouldn't work for the evening and she'd be stuck marrying Sasuke if she wasn't careful and being resented by both him and Sakura.

Ino had then proceeded to tell her that they'd have a heated affair probably, have a love child, and leave her the laughing stock of the village, if she didn't figure out how to wriggle out of this marriage. Ino had spared nothing for her and been candid in her predictions. And Hinata didn't want to be the person those two would come to despise.

She liked Sakura too much, and had a fearful respect of the Uchiha.

Besides, being on the Uchiha's hate list was a fast way to find your life in the apitimy of hells. Which was something Hinata wanted to avoid. Also, she wanted to run away with Naruto but didn't think he felt the same way about her as she did for him. which was why she was standing there taking deep breaths and sucking up this evening and going to try to shove Sasuke off with Sakura; he belonged with Sasuke.

She winced when her hair was tugged harshly before being carefully arranged and decorated with the ornaments to keep it in place. Finally it was over when she felt something akin to a cool soft wax pressed to her lips before a brush was lightly traced over her skin. Hinata just endured the hands and fingers which gently applied makeup on her face because her clan was vainly hoping she would woo the Uchiha to her.

Hinata wanted to drive him away and run for the hills, Sasuke terrified her to the bone. However, she was going to pretend to be trying to woo the Uchiha while she drove him to Sakura with Ino's carefully thought out, subtle plan to get them together.

Then Hinata was going to dig down deep for her courage and march up to Naruto and tell him how she felt about him before she could be engaged to someone else.

"Alright, Lady Hinata, you're ready," she heard a woman speak and let her painted lids flutter open as she stood there trying to appear as serine as possible.

"Thank you," she murmured, the women bowed and disappeared into the household again and she stared at her folded hands as she trembled a bit.

Dear Kami was she ever terrified of being with the Uchiha.

But she steeled herself, as she held her shoulders back and chin up as she walked down the stairs to greet her intended, who was having a glaring contest with her cousin Neji.

* * *

One word described how she felt about being this dressed up as she left the Uchiah compound with Naruto:

Ridiculous.

Seriously! Who wore this stuff for fun, she could barely walk, she was getting tempted to ditch the shoes, but refrained because she knew that wasn't going to be a good idea. Also, her head felt odd with the hair pin she had picked to pin her pink mass up with her bangs framing her face. Then she had called Ino for makeup instructions, and needless to say she felt like tonight was just an impending disaster which was somehow going to blow up in her face and she didn't even know how.

But it didn't stop that sick feeling from roiling through her gut and turning her insides to knots.

Also, she could feel the villagers eyes on her as she walked with Naruto to the festival.

"You look really nice tonight," Naruto said evenly.

"I feel a little ridiculous," she admitted with a grin.

"Well, at least you look good," he chuckled as he offered her his arm. She took it because they were friends and she wasn't going to ever let that change between them as they walk.

"Thank you, and you look good," she assured him. he frowned again. "Stop comparing yourself to Sasuke," she said, knowing full well that's what he was doing. "You and Sasuke aren't even the same type of guys so you'll attract different girls. Besides, girls only like Sasuke for his looks, they like you for your personality."

"Yeah but he has Hinata," Naruto grumbled.

For the moment, she thought wryly.

"Perhaps he's not Hinata's type," Sakura decided gently remembering Hinata's confession about being scared of Sasuke. Though why she was scared of the Uchiha was beyond Sakura. Sasuke was a great guy, once you got to know him and got past the prickly demeanor he held around himself to keep people at bay; she knew he didn't want friends really. Sasuke didn't want to have people to love so he could lose them again for some reason or other.

"Please, all the girls seem to love him," Naruto snorted.

"Naruto, looks really aren't everything, and you are handsome, but different from Sasuke. You two are polar opposites in every way," she admitted. In appearance they were like night and day, and in personality it was like the polar icecaps and the tropics. They weren't really comparable; they were just powerful.

"You mean that?" he asked her uncertainly.

"Yes, besides, maybe Sasuke doesn't like Hinata, did you ever think of that?" she inquired.

"How couldn't he like her!? she's beautiful, smart, really nice, smells great all the time, has a cute smile…" and Naruto went on rambling about Hinata's finer qualities.

It made her smile, perhaps there was hope that tonight wasn't going to be an entire disaster.

Then she saw Jiraiya and knew from that grin that tonight was already a disaster, she just didn't know how yet.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	13. Chapter 13

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 13**

Jiraiya was not really one to travel to the Leaf on a regular basis because every time he was here in the last eight years he was always begged to be the Hokage; and he really didn't want to do that job. Also he happened to know for a fact that Tsunade was an excellent Hokage, and happened to talk to her quite frequently.

But he had one weakness that kept him coming back.

He happened to love his godson and loved him dearly. Which is why he was here, again; at a missive from Naruto's guardian, Minato's pupil Kakashi that there was a situation here involving Naruto's love life.

And after having chatted with Kakashi the entire day he had an idea of what was going on but had decided it'd be best to see it for himself before he decided what to do, or what not to do. He didn't want to be a controlling godfather or something but seeing Naruto and Sakura walk up to him arm in arm and the Uchiha and Hinata walk up to him arm in arm he was seeing problems right now just like Kakashi had said there were.

He was seeing many problems with this sight even as he smiled at them coming to him.

Hinata was too timid, too kind, and too gentle to belong to the Uchiha. The Uchiha was too quiet, too fierce, and too intimidating to be with Hinata. Naruto was too goofy, too childish, and too optimistic and loud to belong with Sakura. And Sakura was too serious, too temperamental, and too willful to be with Naruto.

No, the entire image, though a lovely one he'd admit, the entire sight, it was wrong. Even he knew this and he was only looking at them.

Sasuke needed someone with fire, who wouldn't back from him when he was intimidating, and someone who would shove back against him. Sakura needed someone who would listen to her, someone who would keep her from over working herself, and someone who would match her in temper. Naruto needed someone who would always be kind to him (even when he didn't need it), someone who would need him, and someone who could keep him optimistic. And from what he knew of Hyūga Hinata she was going to need someone to adore her, to make her live a full and wondrous life, and someone who would protect her.

Yes, the image before him was all wrong.

So he'd speak with Kakashi about how to fix this after tonight. For now, he grinned broadly as he walked over to the boys and girls and hugged his godson tightly.

"Hey!" Naruto cried out.

"How you been Naruto?" he asked and then he spun on Sakura. "Still have that temper?" he asked her.

"Good," Naruto answered.

"My temper is not that bad," Sakura argued with him, he saw Sasuke nod his head in rebuttal and Jiraiya chuckled.

"So great to see you all," Jiraiya laughed.

* * *

Sasuke was walking with Hinata in front of him with Sakura, the dobe was grinning as he looked around wildly at the stalls. Sasuke was just waiting for Naruto and Hinata to have one capture their attention and then have them go off like Sakura said they would. He had hopes for them to elope sooner rather than later so he and Sakura could move back to the apartment and resume their separate lives. He didn't want to live in the Uchiha compound and Naruto marrying Hinata would let him burn it all to ash before moving back to the apartment.

Besides, Sakura needed someone living with her so she didn't get food poisoning from never cleaning out her fridge.

Kami knew the woman was a distracted wreck walking around, part of him wondered if she even knew how to clean up after herself. Then again, it was her trail of disaster which usually told him exactly where she was.

"Oh look at that one!" Naruto shouted. "Come on Sakura!" Naruto went to grab Sakura who sighed.

"Naruto, no, I'm not hungry, Sasuke are you hungry?" Sakura asked, he recognized the hint then.

"No," he shook his head. "Hinata?" he looked at her.

"Um yes," she squeaked, he hated the way she shrunk from him as if he'd strike her down. Did he look like he was going to beat her senseless here for being hungry!?

"Go," he motioned, Naruto and Hinata were walking away from them and he stepped closer to Sakura.

"Leaving," he whispered.

She nodded and silently they tried to leave, for whatever could possibly go wrong with the dobe and food? Or anyone and food for that matter?

But he guessed that's where he went wrong in his thinking as he heard a shrill scream of pain. He and Sakura stopped their retreat, looked at one another, looked back, then at one another again, he grabbed his sword, Sakura darted ahead of him then.

* * *

Everything was going smoothly in Sakura's mind as she watched Naruto and Hinata walked away from her and Sasuke. Sasuke and she inched nearer to one another.

"Leaving," he stated softly.

She smiled at the innocent sight of Naruto and Hinata as she nodded and walked away from them. He was going to have a fun evening with Hinata, she knew it as she walked with Sasuke. Sakura was going to try to meet up with Ino and Sai, or something, Sasuke would probably go home to sleep or read; or whatever he wanted to do. But that was Sasuke for you.

Did whatever he pleased, whenever he would please.

He was rather like a cat that way.

However, they were nearly homefree when she heard the scream of pain and faltered in her quest to leave.

Onyx and emerald looked at one another, then they looked back, and then looked at one another again. Sasuke drew his sword and Sakura went low as she prepared for whatever there was down there.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	14. Chapter 14

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 14**

Hinata had been happy to be walking with Naruto and away from Sasuke and Sakura as she listened to Naruto as he jabbered on about something and she got to be with him. It was all going wonderfully in her mind, she didn't need to see Sasuke or Sakura to know they were leaving, and she liked that they were eager to leave. She hoped they enjoyed the festival.

Which was why when she got to the stall, and Naruto grabbed the food and handed it to her after paying so fast that she couldn't slow him down, that she was giggling and not paying attention wo who was around her.

The scent of smoke had her concerned until Naruto yelped, she felt a heat on her legs, saw the kid with the sparkers run by giggling and she screamed as she spun around trying to put the fire on her skirts out.

Naruto grabbed a huge cloth and tackled her, she gasped as all the air was knocked from her body and he slammed on her and she felt him patting her legs down furiously. But the most mortifying part of it was when Sakura and Sasuke came lunging in through the crowd ready for a fight, and she felt herself turn red as she stared at all the bystanders gawking at her and wanted to go hide for all of eternity now.

"Hinata! Are you alright!?" she looked at Naruto who was still atop her and she fainted then.

Worst day ever.

* * *

Alright, so Naruto had been all but bouncing to the moon, he was here with Hinata instead of Sakura and he felt giddy with that fact. It was part of the reason he had smirked when he saw Sasuke and Sakura gone when he glanced over his shoulder. He had been so happy to have Hinata all to himself that he had been fast to pull her along to the food stand, by the meats and pay for them without her noticing what was going on as he stood there grining in triumph at having her company and attention all to himself. He liked it. She had been giggling, he saw the kid with the sparkers run by them but it was the scent of smoke which really got his attention.

Orange flames were licking at Hinata's leg.

She screamed, he dropped his food as he grabbed the nearest cloth and tackled her to the ground to put them out. he was furiously patting her down that he didn't notice the crowd of bystanders, but he did when he saw Sasuke come rushing in with his blade drawn and Sakura looked ready for a fight.

But Naruto's only concern was for Hinata as he turned his attention on her, the flames were out but he was afraid to look and see the damage.

"Hinata!" she looked at him and he watched her turn redder and redder. "Are you alright?"

Suddenly she was lax and he panicked.

"SAKURA!" he screamed.

* * *

Sasuke was scowling as he sat in the hospital waiting room with an anxious dobe, leave it to some asshole with sparker to ruin his evening and his plans. It was infuriating to him as he sat there with his arms crossed and scowling at the wall.

He hated hospitals, he really did, they reminded him too much of the massacre; the morgue, and death. He knew this was where Sakura loved to be, she loved saving lives, and she was good at it, but it didn't mean he liked the hospital. In fact, he was kind of just waiting for Sakura to come out of the emergency room and just tell him and Naruto how Hinata was doing and then drag her home because he was not letting her stay the night in the hospital. He refused to sleep at the Uchiha compound alone; he wasn't a child or anything, but that place brought up the worst for him.

Or he'd sleep in her office and let her stay here.

Either one was an option, so long as he didn't have to sleep at the Uchiha compound alone he didn't really care.

His eyes flicked up to the door when it swung open and Sakura walked out looking half dead. He stood to greet her out of habit and she nodded to him as she rubbed her hands with disinfectant or something.

"How's Hinata!?" the dobe asked frantically as he stepped up to Sakura. He was relieved there were no Hyūgas here to see this display from him and Naruto.

"She's fine, some minor burns on her calves and thighs but they'll be fine, and should heal without any scarring. Right now I have her sedated, you can go sit with her if you like," Sakura offered. The dobe nodded and Sakura told him the room, he was gone. He just watched his best friend frantically run up to the elevator and press the button.

"What aren't you telling him?" he asked her.

"She was mortified that the entire village saw that, and she wants to hide under the covers of that bed for forever and never leave the hospital," Sakura replied grimly and he sighed.

"Home or here?" he asked.

"I had better stay here, you know, when the Hyūga family comes demanding explanations," she sighed.

"Neji is… demanding," he decided.

"Neji's a baby," Sakura huffed out.

"Hn?" he smirked as he lifted his brow at her.

"The only reason you don't like him is that he's too much like you," she pointed out as he walked with her to her office.

"I am not like that ass!" he snapped.

"Yes you are," she argued. He jabbed her mark, she swatted his hands and they stopped by Hinata's room to see the dobe trying to coax her out from under the covers. Now Sasuke felt really bad about this entire arrangement as he walked with Sakura.

The dobe really loved Hinata.

* * *

Sakura had spent two hours healing Hinata until she was almost fully healed. But the young Hyūga refused to leave the hospital despite being nearly perfectly healed. Sakura wasn't going to fight the young, shy woman on it as she instead offered to call her family or to call up Naruto; Hinata hadn't even noticed that Sasuke hadn't been the one Sakura offered as she said please.

After sending Naruto up to her, and walking with Sasuke to her office she tried to wriggle out of the kimono. Sasuke slipped up behind her and helped her out of it as she pulled on the spare clothes she kept here and wiggled into them.

"Do you have to tell the Hyūga she's here?" Sasuke asked her when they were walking out of her office again.

"I don't, but they're likely to hear it through the gossip grapevine," she pointed out.

Sakura didn't particularly want to deal with the Hyūga either but it appeared that they were going to have to. And this was something she didn't have the patience to deal with as she ran her fingers through her freed hair.

"How bad were the burns, really?" Sasuke asked when they stopped at Hinata's room and stared in on the dobe and Hinata.

"Superficial at best," she replied. "Naruto's quick thinking had her burns to a minimal, it's the fact that the entire village saw her on fire and under Naruto that has done more damage to her."

She chuckled then, Sasuke lifted a brow at her in a warning glare.

"No, not her plight, it's, I offered to get her Naruto when I had finished healing her wounds. She didn't even notice that I didn't even offer to go get you," she chuckled.

"Hn," he hummed seriously and they resumed walking. Her stomach growled and they were walking to the cafeteria.

"You still want to do this?" she asked him, they both knew they were talking about the plan to have Naruto and Hinata eloping.

"Aa," he said as he grabbed a tray as well.

"Well then, you do know we're going to have to be more careful after this, because Neji will likely personally escort her everywhere," she said as they sat in the corner table in the empty cafeteria.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted and she sighed as she rubbed her brow. Why couldn't one plan of theirs' just go off without a hitch.

But she supposed that would be too easy as she leant back in her seat and nibbled on a rice ball.

"He really loves her," Sasuke muttered. Sakura looked up to her dark friend and nodded solemnly.

"I think he'd have never noticed if this arrangement hadn't come up," she admitted as she set her food aside and let her head fall back then. "And she's hopelessly in love with him."

"Aa," Sasuke agreed and he leaned back.

"Fuck," was all they muttered and finished eating in relative silence.

Sasuke crashed on her office couch and she worked on her backed up paperwork when her door was thrown open.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	15. Chapter 15

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 15**

Sasuke had been feigning sleep as he wondered about the look Sakura had given him when he had stated a fact they could both see; Naruto loved Hinata.

But there was something else in her look which had had him curious about what was going on with his pink companion, he had seen a sorrow and pain in her eyes before she hid it well again. If he didn't happen to know ever expression on her face, and know every expression her eyes held, then he'd have missed it. He knew he would have missed it, if he didn't happen to know her, because she was hiding whatever it was really well.

Now it was bothering him as he sat in her office faking sleep because he couldn't sleep here in the hospital and he was trying to figure out what it was exactly the pinkette was hiding from him. And he would figure it out; he always did.

The slamming of her office door had him bolting up right as he snatched up his sword and was ready to attack whoever the intruder was only to find himself looking at one furious Hyūga Neji.

"How dare you let Lady Hinata be burned!" Neji roared and lunged for him. Sasuke felt his Sharingan come to life as he cast a fast genjutsu then dove out of the falling Hyūga's way as he grabbed Sakura and they hit the ground. He rolled her under the desk before she could protest and he scrambled out of the room then. He should've known that something like this was coming he thought.

There was a furious shout and he knew Neji was after him. But he was prepared as the older Hyūga came after him with open palms.

Now, while Sasuke hadn't really sparred too often with a Hyūga he had spared enough with Sakura to learn how to evade hits aimed for his chakra and inner organs because she had figured out a short hand style like the Hyūga's from sparring with Hinata all the time.

He blocked the blow as he went low, Neji wasn't thrown by the move though as he descended upon him and Sasuke spun up to the blindspot of the Byakugan before landing a swift blow there which had Neji sprawling on the ground.

A shockwave blast of chakra though knocked him off his feet then and he rolled up to see Sakura standing there fuming.

"NOT IN MY HOSPTIAL!" she roared and he stood up.

"You bastard, you were supposed to protect Lady Hinata," Neji huffed out as he staggered to his feet.

"It was an accident Neji," Sakura argued and he grabbed her to shove her behind him when he saw her stand between him and the Hyūga. Sakura tried to fight him but he secured her behind him, if the Hyūga was going to attack he'd rather it'd be him than her.

"And what she was doing with Uzumaki!? You were escorting her!" Neji shouted and Sasuke prepared for another set of attacks.

* * *

Naruto's head snapped up when he heard the fighting, Hinata was still out of it but he emerged just in time to see Sasuke drag Sakura behind him and to see Neji prepare to attack Sasuke then. Naruto stepped up then and tapped Neji's shoulder.

"Hinata and I were hungry, they weren't!" Naruto snapped at the older Hyūga who turned his disdainful glare on him. Naruto didn't waver though. "I asked her if she wanted to go to the stand, Sasuke and Sakura were going to a different stand and they were going to get a few things, we were going to meet up again," he lied. "But then there was a kid with sparkers and… It was an accident!"

Naruto watched as Sasuke relaxed a little, Sakura tried to slip around him and Naruto watched as Sasuke grabbed her and kept her back. He also looked at Neji who was glaring at him still and he folded his arms in his confussion and anger then.

"Accidents happen, and even shinobi who don't pay attention have accidents. I'm sorry the incident happened, but Hinata's fine, isn't that all that matters? Hinata wasn't burned severely by the sparkers?" he challenged.

"Yes, alright, that's all that matters, but the Uchiha should have been around to ensure it hadn't happened in the first place," Neji snapped as he glared at Sasuke.

Sasuke shrugged and Naruto shook his head as he walked back into the room where Hinata was sleeping then.

"Come visit her in the morning Neji, I'm letting Sasuke and Naruto stay only tonight," he heard Sakura say in the doorframe and he didn't hear Neji's reply. "Sasuke. Office. Now." He heard Sakura growl through clenched teeth and he heard his best friend as he walked off, then he heard Sakura enter the room and shut the door again.

"Thank you Naruto," she said, and he looked over his shoulder at her as she checked on Hinata.

"Yeah, Neji was over reacting anyway," he shrugged and looked back to Hinata then. "Sakura?"

"Hm?" she hummed as she tucked Hinata in again.

"Do you… like someone?" he asked her.

"No," she answered quickly and he slid a look over to her. Now, he was oblivious; he'd admit that, there were plenty of things he missed in life but he couldn't get an image out of his head and now it was nagging at him.

Sasuke dragging Sakura behind him and then keeping her there.

The image alone was troubling to him as he sat there looking at his pink friend, he had never seen Sasuke protective over anyone, and he had known Sasuke almost as long as Sakura had.

"She's healing up well, come and get me when she wakes," Sakura said as she left him.

"Alright," he said and he heard her shut the room's door again. He just looked at Hinata and shoved the image of Sasuke and Sakura out of his head again.

* * *

"No Fighting In My Hospital!" she snapped when she walked into her office. The Uchiha just sat there feigning innocence and she felt like clobbering him over the head. Why out of all the men she could love in this lifetime of hers did it have to be him!?

"He started it," Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't care! This is a hospital, not a sparring ring," she snapped as she collapsed in her seat at the desk and ran her fingers through her tangled pink hair.

"How's the dobe doing?" Sasuke asked suddenly.

"He's Naruto still, but he seems to be waiting for Hinata to wake," Sakura shrugged. She honestly couldn't figure out how Naruto was doing at this moment, he seemed so serine, she had never seen him that way as she sat there with her head falling back.

"You know Neji probably noticed you were with me rather than Hinata," she pointed out then as the thought hit her. Sasuke shrugged.

"I'm always with you," he pointed out. she sighed as her heart twisted painfully at his careless words. Did he know that he hurt her frequently with his careless wordings, or his thoughtless gestures of affection? Probably not, she had been hiding it for a long, long time now and she wasn't going to stop hiding it any time soon as she sat there with her eyes closed for a moment.

"If it makes you feel comfortable I'll lie and say we were on shifts," Sasuke said which had her cracking her eyes open to him then.

"You should say that if only to appease the Hyūga; I have nothing to do with this other than helping you get Naruto and Hinata to elope," she stated flatly and he glared at her. She shrugged, it was true. She wasn't dating Naruto, she usually went to the festivals with him, and she wasn't likely to be a close friend of Hinata's; though she was a friend of Hinata's. However, it seemed doubtful that she'd be there as anything important in the Hyūga's eyes.

She'd be a thing merely tolerated because she was something to Sasuke.

Other than that, she'd forever be overlooked and that was probably the only reason that this harebrained scheme of Sasuke's and Ino's was going to work. Sakura was overlooked. Always. It was an inevitable. And that was fine by her, for now.

"You're more than that and you know it," he snapped which had her opening her eyes again as she looked back to him.

"Not in their eyes, I'm a thing probably to be tolerated because I happen to always be around you, the Hyūga wouldn't notice me if I was on fire and they were the only ones in the room." And with that she stood. "Excuse me, I have rounds to do since I'm here," she said and left him.

She didn't want whatever other bitterness she had hidden away in her to come boiling to the surface and breaking her down in front of him. Sakura had long since ordered herself to never break in front of the Uchiha, and she wasn't about to start.

* * *

Hinata came to with Sasuke standing there in the corner watching her. she felt herself tremble a bit under his dark glare, and she tried not to panic as he took the seat where she had last seen Naruto.

"Dobe's run to get you breakfast," he stated and she blinked as he leant back in the chair. "I do not want to marry you."

The words were like getting hit by hurricane winds and knocking her over as she felt herself go slack at his confession.

"And you do not wish nor want to marry me," he icily stated which had her shrinking from him. "Stop that, I'm not going to hit you!" he spat out and she stared at him with wide eyes then.

"T-Then why a-a-ar-are you h-h-he-here?" she stammered out uncertainly.

"You love the dobe," he stated. And she felt herself flush and nod in response. "The dobe loves you," he informed her which was like having a tone of brick smash into her as she stared at him with large eyes and an open jaw.

Sasuke did not look phased by this though as he looked at her again with cold, hard, dark eyes then.

"Marry the dobe," was all he said as he stood up and left her.

"Alright Hinata! Morning teme, Sakura's sleeping in her office," Naruto said.

"I'm taking her home," was all Sasuke said and she watched him disappear then. Naruto was grinning as he walked in.

"I got you some porridge; it's the best thing the hospital has, and I swiped some ramen from my secret stash in Sakura's office!" Naruto declared with a grin and she just smiled slightly as she slowly sat up and took the offered porridge.

Hinata was still trying to figure out what had just happened with Sasuke. Did he figure out he loved Sakura? Were they going to elope or something and he didn't want her embarrassed at the alter when there was no bridegroom waiting for her? Hinata saw him carrying Sakura then, the pinkette was sound asleep and the Uchiha never looked her way as he left.

"Don't feel bad, Hinata," Naruto sighed when she looked at her hands. "Sakura and Sasuke have always been close, they yell at one another a lot, and they fight a lot, but they have always been close. Even when I was a kid they were close, though Sasuke and she did try to strangle one another quite frequently," he sniggered. She giggled at the memories she had of Sasuke and Sakura arguing; their arguments were legendary when she had been a genin.

"Do you… do you think he likes her?" Hinata mumbled. She was still pretty certain that Sasuke loved her, but she just wanted another opinion.

"Probably, I mean, she's only one of three people who can actually get close to him without being kicked away," Naruto said as he slurped his noodles.

"Think they love each other?" she asked softly. But Naruto didn't appear to hear her as he slurped his noodle and she started to nibble on the hospital porridge.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	16. Chapter 16

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 16**

Jiraiya saw the Uchiha carry Sakura out of the hospital sound asleep the morning after the incident and he only frowned to himself.

This further proved what he already believed and now he was formulating plans to rectify this problem. Naruto was still in the hospital with Hinata, and the Uchiha disappeared in the village with Sakura; that to him spoke volumes, it shouted it from the top of the lungs of these children that this arrangement was a bad arrangement.

Now he was going to have to fix it and that would require meddling, planning, and ideas for these children to fix this problem. He was certain if he got enough sake in Tsunade he'd have her help; so long as he was vague about who he was setting up. The woman was a secret romantic at heart; and he knew it as he sat atop the hospital lost in his thoughts and plans.

This wasn't going to be easy, three of these four people were extremely stubborn, and one was slightly homicidal. Jiraiya didn't particularly want to end up on the Uchiha's bad side in this little matchmaking set up. That was not a place people lived long on.

He smiled a bit and nodded his head as ideas started flooding his mind and he hurried to his hotel to jot them down; this could make for an interesting book. Again, he'd have to be careful that the Uchiha never found out what he was doing.

* * *

Kakashi had decided to enjoy a peaceful morning with his book, his coffee, and the girl from last night cooking him breakfast before she'd leave and probably never return. He wasn't fool enough to actually be looking for love anymore, just some fun occasionally and the occasional nights of passion. He liked it this way, no strings.

It made his life easier.

He was looking out his window at the village street below him and pink caught his eye. Pink was held by black and black was looking very protective of pink. Kakashi smirked, he hadn't known entirely what had happened, just that the Hyūga heiress had been burned and that his ward had been the one to put out the fire by tackling her.

It was more than probable that this incident had sparked the couples into action and getting closer to what he had come to term as 'their proper pair'.

Seeing Sasuke carrying Sakura towards the Uchiha district was proof enough to him that there was hope for this mess to be straightened out.

But he was on a deadline and he made plans to track Jiraiya down and start making their plans for the kids. Enough dancing around, he was tying them together and shoving them off. It was time that there be a little good in this village rather than just the council's heavy handed ways.

"What are you looking at?" the curvy brunette purred in his ear.

"Nothing," he replied lazily as he set his book and coffee aside and spun the woman around for another round of passion.

* * *

Sasuke had had enough of the dog and pony show and dancing around the matter of what he wanted. He wanted the dobe and the Hyūga to be married and had decided to forego the elaborate schemes and plans and just stated as much. The unconscious pinkette was blissfully unaware that he might have just blasted all of her and her friend's elaborate schemes to hell but he didn't care.

He was not one for social subtlities and he was tired.

So fucking tired.

He didn't even know why he was tired, just that he was unbareably tired which was starting to drive him insane. It felt like he was being dragged six thousand directions at a time and all those directions lead to cliffs which lead to him falling and it was beginning to exhaust him.

He had other things to do in his life than follow along with ridiculous schemes and elaborate plans when this could really be simple.

Just get the Hyūga to marry the dobe and leave him the fuck alone.

He stopped when he reached the compound gates and tightened his hold on the annoying pinkette as he felt himself tense at the sight of his ancestrial home. The corner of the village the Uchiha were banished to before the massacre.

He sighed and shut his eyes as he straightened his back and carried Sakura with him.

It was no secret that his clan hadn't exactly been welcomed here with open arms, though it was said that his ancestor Uchiha Madara had helped found the village. But it didn't matter, he supposed as he made his way through the haunted houses and districts of the Uchiha compound. They were outsiders even for having helped with founding this village.

He'd just accept that he was probably always going to be an outsider and learn to live with it.

The pinkette stirred in his arms as he walked into the main house and he froze as she turned around and had her arms wrapped around his shoulders with her face buried in his neck. He was careful not to move until she was settled and then he walked her up to his room.

Sasuke didn't really think about it as he dumped her on his bed and clambered in after her.

All he knew was he was tired, and he didn't want to feel alone at this moment. And Sakura never let him feel alone as he carefully pulled the blankets over them. Sakura scooted into him, he didn't pull away from her as he wrapped them up and then he wrapped an arm around her waist as he let the exhaustion take him.

He was so tired of feeling tired and alone, and he was about to enter a lonely marriage if he didn't get the Hyūga and the dobe to just elope. He cracked an eye to look at the back of a pink head.

Or he could always elope with Sakura; she had offered it.

* * *

Naruto just pretended he hadn't heard Hinata's question about Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. Mostly because…

He honestly didn't know.

If you had asked him before last night he'd have walked off laughing telling you it was impossible.

One: the teme did not love people, he rarely let people in his life and he did not let people get near him; physically or emotionally.

Two: Sakura loved in great abundance and never hid any of her love, she would hug people tease them and be there for them.

And three: they literally tried to strangle each other half the time, and when they weren't trying to strangle one another they were really close.

As kids he had kind of envied their relationship, it was strange, it wasn't normal, but in many ways he had envied it. When they had been teens, he had their friendship, and though it wasn't like what they had, he liked to consider himself pretty close to both Sakura Sasuke. And now… now, well, he had strong independent relationships with both of them and he didn't need what they had. However, looking at their relationship he didn't know what to define it as.

They weren't friends. He knew for a fact they weren't lovers, Sasuke was known to take the occasional girl home with him and Sakura did have dates on occasion. They were family in some twisted way. They were teammates. They weren't enemies, but they fought all the time. And he had a feeling they were coconspirators at times.

He looked at Hinata then and finished slurping his noodles and sighed as he decided to answer her question.

"I don't know if Sasuke can love anyone, and Sakura would have said if she were in love," he admitted. "I don't know though, they're really close."

"How close?" Hinata asked.

He shrugged.

"Sakura's like my sister, and Sasuke's my best friend and kind of like a brother to me," Naruto started and he looked to Hinata. "But they've never been exceedingly sibling like towards one another," he admitted.

"Do you… do you think…" she started and stammered so much as she turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Who knows with them," he admitted. He didn't think they'd even know if they were in love with one another. Hinata then looked up to him and he just stared at her beautiful pearl colored eyes, he loved the color of them.

"I don't want to marry Sasuke," she whispered so softly that if he hadn't watched her lips move he'd have missed what she said entirely.

"You don't?" he stammered.

"N-no, I… I think he loves Sakura," she admitted softly and Naruto looked at the door where he'd seen Sasuke walk past with Sakura a half an hour earlier.

"Well then, what do you want to do?" he asked grinning as he looked back over to her. She was blushing furiously then.

"Ino and I were going to try to set them up together…" she mumbled.

"I'll help!" he volunteered. He was doing this for childish and selfish reasons, but if this worked he could live with it!

* * *

 **YAY! I'm Not Dead!**

 **Did You Miss Me!? Probably not, you guys probably just missed the updates... *sigh* =|**

 **Oh Well! =) Enjoy my week of writing with no internet for updates! I have written over 100,000 words for fanfiction so I hope you enjoy the chapters of all my stories!  
**

 **For Guests who are confused for the huge jump to the end I posted six new chapters today.**

 **For those of you who's emails I have spammed with updates... sorry, I had a lot of stuff to post!**

 **T** **hat's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 17**

Sakura woke to the sound of thunder booming overhead which had her groaning a bit. She scowled at the heavy arm pinning her though, and then she sighed when she saw it was Sasuke's arm and not some guy she had stumbled home with. It wasn't often, but Sakura had gone on a bender a time or two with a few of the guys she had dated.

She wasn't a prude, she just did not advertise her sex life, and besides, it was wholly disappointing for her because she always felt… empty afterwards. It wasn't that the guys weren't good, two had actually been really good, but rather, it was her. A part of her, the part which loved and worshipped the very ground the Uchiha walked upon, loved him and loved him deeply. And it was that part of her which whispered that she had betrayed him.

Not that it really mattered, she was sixteen when she had been sent to seduce a daimyo and steal documents from him. The daimyo had had a thing for virgins…

At the time she had been a virgin.

Four guys after him though and she had given up on sex ever being satisfying for her. The guilt she would feel afterwards just wasn't worth the orgasm in her mind.

Sighing she closed her eyes and reveled in being this close to Sasuke. She snuggled into his chest and enjoyed the sensation of his heart beating beneath her fingers. If she were to wake up every day with Uchiha sasuk beside her for the rest of her life she would die a happy woman. There'd be no need for sex on her part, she would be happy to have him beside her for the rest of eternity. But alas, that could not be as she opened her eyes again and looked at him.

Tomorrow she was giving up on setting up Hinata and Naruto, she was going to go to the Hokage and ask for a long mission which would have her gone until after the wedding. She wouldn't need to explain anything to Sasuke, after all, she was just an annoyance to him, and she wouldn't need to tell Naruto and Hinata.

There was bound to be something which would have her out of the village for a while and she was going to take it. Sakura just…

She just wanted a break from breaking her heart.

However, for the moment, she was going to savor being this close to Sasuke and ignore her breaking heart as she pressed herself closer. It was shocking when his arms tightened on her and drew her into him. a smile tugged on her lips as again sleep washed over her and her body was slack against his. She wanted to savor this memory, it was going to be hers' and hers' alone. After tonight she wouldn't see him again until he was married. Of this she was certain as she let sleep take her.

* * *

Sasuke was relieved when Sakura hadn't started screaming bloody murder in his arms.

He was happy with her staying right where she was. He didn't even know why, he really didn't understand this happiness at having her so close to him but he had been feeling it a little more with every passing day since his engagement had been announced.

Where he was uneasy around the Hyūga he found himself looking for Sakura when walking with Hinata. Being around Hinata in general… it felt unnatural to him. And in some strange way he found himself seeking Sakura out. he didn't know how to explain it other than he wanted and craved to be around her. Sakura made him feel… content.

He hadn't really been dwelling on this observation, but he had occasionally thought about it since Neji had snapped at him to marry Sakura instead of Hinata.

At first the idea had been like swallowing poison.

However, when he slowed down and thought about what he and Sakura did it was like they were already together and not together. And her offer to elope with him, though he was relatively certain it had been made sarcastic in the heat of the moment, was far more tempting of an offer than marrying Hinata. In fact, it had actually taken will power on his part not to just snap up the opportunity to run off with her.

It was a thought in the back of his mind which had been nagging him.

But it wasn't until right now that he was really thinking about it. And the only reason he was thinking about it was because of how she fit against him in her sleep.

This felt natural, it felt normal, it felt right, and it felt… it felt good. He couldn't really describe it other than this cheesy phrase: he could live with this for the rest of his life and die a happy man.

Haruno Sakura was… she was something very special to him and he didn't know what that was entirely. He hadn't really explored what she was to him other than important. She could spark sheer terror in him, a feat which none could do since the death of his family. She had scared him half to death when Itachi had nearly killed her and had her laying on death's door when they were sixteen. He remembered the dangerous dislike of her seduction mission; she had come home one day told him what she was doing and left.

He had been furious for weeks afterwards.

Sasuke did not particularly like her dating, never had and he felt… something perilessly close to homicidal when she would leave the house on a date. Originally all of this was chalked up to her being his… family?... but now… now he wasn't so certain of that.

He was actually losing sleep thinking this over when he was exhausted.

What exactly was Haruno Sakura to him?

He didn't know and it was nagging his soul as she sighed against his chest and his arms tightened around her.

* * *

The thunder rumbling was actually what had Hinata uneasy as she lay in the hospital with Naruto. She hadn't expected him to leap at the opportunity to help her get Sasuke and Sakura together. But she wasn't questioning it.

For the past hour she had laid out Ino's plans for Naruto and he had listened attentively. She didn't know what his personal stake in this was, she had thought him to be with Sakura, but she was delighted to have his undivided attention and help. It was actually a little relieving to her to have help other than Ino on her side.

However, she wasn't certain Naruto understood what she was trying to do, and she didn't want to offend him since she knew both of them to be his best friends. But she just couldn't marry Sasuke. She couldn't. Not after seeing that look in his eyes, that was the look all girls dreamt of being on the receiving end of, the look of absolute adoration and affection. It was something she wanted, and if she took it from Sakura by marrying Sasuke she feared to think of what her future could be like.

She knew that eventually they would come together, they kind of seemed like magnets to her, complete opposites but very attracted to one another. Even if they were fighting it now, they belonged together.

And besides, she didn't want Sasuke to come to hate her because he knew she loved Naruto instead of him.

* * *

Naruto didn't care what the cost of getting Hinata out of this marriage was.

He could not let the teme marry her!

Hinata was far too good for him, and Sakura… while, Naruto didn't entirely see whatever it was that Hinata was saying to be there, he knew that Sakura was probably the only woman Sasuke tolerated near him.

Even he would admit that it was highly probable that they'd be getting together eventually and he didn't know how to feel about that realization.

Sasuke and Sakura were close, not sibling close, but close. They were something more than anyone ever really noticed, even he knew they were practically together. They did everything together; and that was something he didn't understand with them since they argued about everything. And he meant everything.

No matter, he would help Hinata with her plans and he would enjoy the time he'd get to spend with her because of these plans. Perhaps he could woe Hinata to him and he could persuade her to marry him rather than Sasuke. That thought was something which had even Kurama purring in delight. He really liked Hinata, he thought she was an inspiring person. Not many people were inspiring and yet she was.

Despite having been weird, dark, gloomy and fainty, she had grown into someone he could admire. He wanted to never be away from her in his mind. Even Kurama wanted to be near her.

* * *

 **What is it with you guys obsessing over the sexual history I give the characters? I try to tailor it appropriately for each story I write, I don't purposely make everyone a virgin or experienced. I try to fit it to each story I write appropriately. Sadly though, because of Sakura's devotion this makes it hard...**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	18. Chapter 18

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 18**

Sasuke woke alone the next morning, which was a bit concerning to him as he looked around his room for the pinkette he had fallen asleep with. The note on his bedside table had his brow furrowing.

 _Didn't want to wake you. Land of Grass needs medical assistance, plague, will radio in when I have a chance._

 _Stay safe._

 _Be patient with everyone._

 _-Sakura_

Sasuke just sighed, he supposed that it was better this way in some perverse way. If she wasn't around he could think, and when he could think that just made his life easier. Emotions weren't messing everything up, and with Sakura emotions were always messing everything up. Just look at what had happened when Itachi had nearly killed her!

Great Kami was that a terrifying memory.

Sighing he dragged a hand through his hair as he got out of his bed and walked down the stairs to make coffee. The knock on his door had him frowning a bit as he walked over and opened it.

"Morning!" Mebuki grinned and bustled past him with Kizashi right there. Sasuke lifted his brow to Kizashi who shrugged.

"Mebuki," Sasuke called out.

"We wanted to make certain you were alright, Sakura was called away on an emergency mission, big deal since Shizune, Tsunade, and Ino and a few other medics were all going. Something about a plague, and well, you know… I worry," Mebuki admitted.

"Omelet," he said then. There was no reasoning with Mebuki when she was worried. But now he too was worried, Shizune and Tsunade had rarely ever left the village since Tsunade's becoming of Fifth Hokage, so the situation must be desperate for this to be happening.

"Certainly," Mebuki smiled and then bustled about his dusty kitchen, washing the pots and pans before she went about cooking in them. Sasuke looked over to Kizashi.

"When did they leave?" he asked Sakura's father's softly.

"They were dragged out of their beds with ANBU, the only reason we knew was Sakura left her kit over at our house and she came to collect it. Looked serious, ten other medics were there, and an ANBU escort," Kizashi said softly.

"Must be serious," Sasuke murmured. He was now concerned as he sat there looking at the blonde bustling around his dead kitchen in the way that reminded him a bit of his mother.

"Sasuke, whatever happened to Itachi?" Mebuki finally huffed out which had his head snapping up.

"Hn?"

"I just… the last time she went out like this… Itachi… I can't think, can you just tell me," Mebuki pleaded. Sasuke saw that Kizashi was curious as well and dragged his hands through his hair then and then he looked at his two foster parents; more like his aunt and uncle and sighed. Sakura was their daughter, she was the light of their lives, and she was the center of the world, he remembered how crushed they had been when she had nearly been killed by Itachi.

"Uchiha Itachi has been dead for near five years, I killed him," Sasuke said softly which had Mebuki trembling as she sagged on his counter.

"Oh thank Kami, he can't hurt her," Mebuki whispered desperately.

"Hn," he grunted.

"Was that when you disappeared after…" Kizashi asked softly.

He nodded.

"Thank you." Kizashi said softly as he clapped his shoulder. Sasuke said nothing as he stared out the window of the kitchen in the Uchiha compound.

There was no reason to thank him.

Sakura should have never been a target in the first place. She shouldn't have been on that mission either. He had protested greatly when she had been drafted to go with a different team to capture a rogue ninja. When he had found her, mostly because a gut feeling had had him running after her when she was a month overdue from the mission he had found Itachi standing over her before disappearing in the crows. Sasuke had just about lost it when he had brought her mangled body home.

They didn't talk about it.

He knew all the damage done to her, he knew she wouldn't talk about it, or discuss with him what had happened. He didn't ask her to either.

"You know, Hyūga Hinata is marrying a wonderful young man," Mebuki beamed at him.

He didn't say anything, he didn't want Hinata. He kind of wanted Sakura. But he'd sooner chop off his arm than admit that to Sakura's parents. They'd take it wrong.

He stare out the window and wondered just what Sakura was doing right now.

* * *

Sakura's intention to ask for a long mission had been answered with a legitimate mission for medics which had woken her in the middle of the night with an ANBU member poofing into the room she was sleeping. She knew they'd never say anything about her sleeping with Sasuke, but she had still threatened them as she left to get her stuff; which had been at her parents lately and then she had joined up with the medical unit.

Apparently there was a plague in the Land of Grass, it was traveling around from village to village, and though the nation was currently quarantined the news was coming out and the plague was popping up on the borders outside of the Land of Grass. Which was why she was going with Tsunade.

They had a bad feeling that this plague was a biological weapon, but their priority was helping the ill. She was going because she was the best medic of the Leaf and the best disciple of the Fifth. She was also desperately trying to ignore Ino who was giving her curious looks. Ino wanted to know something and frankly, Sakura wasn't in the mood to share what was going on with her as she ran with Tsunade whilst reading the files on the dead and the sick of the Land of Grass.

She didn't know if she should consider herself luck for having a legitimate mission or horrified about what kind of mission she was going on.

"Why didn't they call us sooner?" Sakura asked as she landed neatly in a tree and continued reading over the file.

"They did not think this was serious," Tsunade admitted.

"Not serious?" Sakura asked.

"They felt they could contain the situation, but they were vastly overwhelmed with the amount of sick, dying and dead. They've been burning the bodies of the dead, but they are leaving a few for us to autopsy," Tsunade said in a huffed.

"Tsunade, I think it's traveling through the water or air or something, it's moving too quickly not to be mobile," Sakura admitted as she looked over the map of the outbreak. This was just too… vast, people did not travel this quickly; not even shinobi so she doubt this was a human to human contact plague. There was a contaminate somewhere in the system and it was attacking.

"We'll know more when we get there though," Shizune admitted.

"We will be divided and working in pairs and designated sectors," Tsunade announced and Sakura nodded in understanding and dreaded knowing who she was partnered with. It wasn't that she didn't like Ino, she loved Ino, but Ino clearly had something she wanted to ask about and Sakura just didn't want to endure her friend's interrogation.

"We are here to stop the plague, work quickly be smart and do not separate from your partner," Shizune shouted when they reached the river. Sakura sighed and looked at Ino as they were assigned to sector seven which was near the Land of Sound. Sakura had a bad feeling about this but she ignored it as she took her kit and she and Ino started running as they crossed the border.

They were silent for a long time, and Sakura just wondered what all this was about. The Land of Grass was not the most ideal target for an attack; unless this was a test run with a new weapon…

The thought had her sick to stomach.

"Sakura," Ino finally broke the silence then.

"Yes," Sakura called out as she continued reading the files.

"Will you be honest with me for a minute," Ino demanded and they skidded to a stop.

"What is it Ino?" Sakura asked.

"Are you in love with the Uchiha?" Ino demanded and Sakura winced. "And don't lie to be Forehead, I might barely be able to read your mind but I can still read it and I'll know if you're lying!"

"Yes," Sakura admitted softly. "But that isn't important, saving theses people's lives is important!"

"Sakura!" Ino shouted as Sakura bolted. She had finally admitted her secret to someone who wasn't herself, and it scared her enough to have her run rather than endure whatever else was on Ino's mind. She had a job to do and people were counting on her. They didn't give a damn on whether or not she was in love with Uchiha Sasuke or not. And that was a comfort to her as she ran.

* * *

"Well?"

"She's coming this time."

"Excellent, prepare to greet our honored guest."

"Are you certain you want to use her?"

"Of course, he will come for her, and then we will take him."

"Of course, and what do we do with her once we have him?"

"Do as you please with her," the dismissal came as he was left in the dark. The man turned and smiled at the image of the pretty pinkette and he felt lust wash over him again. A worthy opponent, and a worthy partner in his mind.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 19**

Sasuke found life without Sakura was always quieter, less chaotic and easier to think. That's what he thought as the days slipped into weeks, and weeks into months. It was a bit unnerving to be six months without Sakura, but she wrote him enough that he didn't worry too greatly about her.

Naruto and Hinata were getting close; much to Sasuke's pleasure. But there was the problem of the approaching wedding. The Hyūga elders had decided to up the wedding when Sasuke had requested a long term mission which would keep him out of the village.

The village council had agreed with the Hyūga elders and well…

His wedding was a month from now rather than the original five that it would have been if the council hadn't fucked up his life some more. Neji and Hiashi had both then lectured him; fucking lectured him!; that he would no longer be taking long term missions, he was to be a faithful husband and a loyal father to Hinata and if he wasn't there would be consequences. Sasuske didn't bother to point out that he was a member of the ANBU and that he was also a part of Team 7. No, there was no reason to point that out to these idiots since they didn't listen in the first place.

However, it was infuriating to find himself under the Hyūga's thumb. It was actually insulting in his mind and was almost enough to have him running off to be a rogue ninja or running off to the Land of Grass to help Sakura with her mission. At least the Haruno family had never leashed him and then watched his every move as if he were the devil incarnate.

The only thing which kept him from running off to be a rogue ninja was the Haruno family. They were it, Mebuki and Kizashi were so worried about Sakura at this moment he was actually afraid to leave them alone. He was practically living in his old room since Mebuki had had a fire last month when she got distracted from the baking and thinking about what Sakura was doing. Sasuke had walked into the bakery on fire, Mebuki screaming and Kizashi in the market.

Thankfully, no one but him was hurt and his burns were minor.

Since then though he hadn't left the Haruno family for a period longer than a day. Sai helped in watching the Haruno family but he had long term missions to take off on and Sasuke wasn't going to bother him for more than a little time. Naruto tried to help but Naruto was so infatuated with Hinata and they snuck off pretty regularly that Sasuke found himself more often times than not covering for the dobe and Hinata.

However, over the course of these months, despite his impending wedding, he had figured everything out. Everything.

He knew exactly what Sakura was to him and at first he'd been shocked but when he thought about it, it wasn't that surprising. Haruno Sakura was his everything.

It had only taken him six months to figure this out, she was his everything. His best friend, his family, his teammate, probably would be his lover if he had noticed her sooner, his roommate, his pain in the ass, his motivation, and his happiness. Haruno Sakura was his home.

And it had only taken six months to figure this out.

Now he figured he really needed to get out of this marriage, but the only question was how. He was thinking up several ways, but his largest hope hinged on the dobe and Hinata eloping. If they would do that for him then he'd be free and once he was free then he was running after Sakura, snatching her up and never letting her go before some guy came along and snatched her from him.

He was a greedy bastard after all 'what was yours is mine, and what's mine is mine'; that's how the old saying went and it was true for the last Uchiha. Now he just needed to get the dobe and Hinata hitched and he was a free man to do as he pleased and marry Haruno Sakura before she got a better offer from someone.

Did he know that his marrying her would require conning her… yes.

Did he particularly care that he'd be conning Haruno Sakura… no.

With that in mind he was making plans for when he was a free man because one way or another he was going to be free.

* * *

Sakura studied the blood of yet another victim trying to figure out what this plague was doing but so far she had nothing as she sat there studying it. Pulling away from the microscope of her field lab she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

This was infuriating.

Six months, six fucking months of working this and she was stuck as she sat there thinking. She was stuck on what this illness was and what it was doing because aside from killing people she didn't know what it was doing as she rubbed her temples trying to clear her mind. Thoughts of Sasuke swirled about her head and she decided to take a break to write him a letter.

It was amazing that neither she nor Ino had contracted the plague but she didn't know if that was luck, contamination, or the fact that they had weekly vaccinations of every known disease to mankind. Not caring about that she walked to her tent, pulled off her mask, gloves and suit, put them in the burn unit as she walked into the airlocked tent. The seal hissed to life as it was sealed again and Sakura looked around the impersonal bubble in which she and Ino lived in at the momen.

Pulling her sweat matted pink hair down she shook it free and ran her fingers through it before turning on the shower for a quick hot one then stepping out. Once dressed again she decided to write Sasuke again and sat down to write him a thank you again for staying with her parents.

Apparently there had been a fire there, and Sasuke was staying with them until she was home. It was destroying her parents not knowing what she was doing so she asked him to just assure them that she was fine, and that she'd be home as soon as she could.

Writing to Sasuke helped clear her mind when the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she slowed her writing before stopping it completely.

She heard heavy breathing behind her and she spun around with a poisoned kunai in hand as a needle whisked past her cheek, slicing through her hair.

"How the hell did you get in here!?" she spat out as she looked at the silver man with glasses.

"Same as I always do, you're coming with me," he snapped, she recognized Kabuto immediately as she went low, he had his chakra scalpels pulsing on his hands as he sliced at her. she sidestepped, he caught her ribs but she spun around to slam her elbow in his back.

"I'm not going anywhere," she snapped.

"You will come with me or die," Kabuto snapped.

"Not if I kill you first," she pointed out blandly as she fell into a fitting stance and held her kunai tightly in her fingers. She released her seal then too, felt it sliding over her body as it wrapped around her and she smirked when she saw a glint of panic in his eyes.

"That won't happen, I need you," Kabuto said in a tone that could have been seductive if he wasn't so creepy. For years he'd been after Sasuke and they had come after her for years too. Apparently Orochimaru and Kabuto thought that by using her as bait Sasuke would come running to save her. Sakura didn't mention that he probably wouldn't come at all because she annoyed the hell out of him and he also expected her to take care of herself.

Sakura moved first as she released a shockwave of chakra which had Kabuto slamming out of the tent and into the ground. She leapt after him as she threw her punches. But Kabuto had also once been a medical ninja for the Leaf and was good at evasion as she was.

She grunted when a chakra scalpel sliced through her chest and body through her back but it didn't stop her assault as she pulled off Kabuto's hand by punching him through a boulder. Breathing hard she leapt after him again when he slammed a hand into her side.

A scream ripped through her as she fell over in pain, her seal receeded when she lost her focus and the world went dark.

"I told you, you'd be coming with me," Kabuto smiled arrogantly.

"Not it that blow kills you fist," she laughed darkly looking at the blood slipping from his lips as her world disappeared.

* * *

Naruto liked being with Hinata, he found her fun to be with and they had a lot of things in common, strangely. And she made him happy.

Shy Hinata made him unbelievably happy!

Naruto would have worried about being this happy but he couldn't. There was no reason for him to worry about being this happy and being around Hinata. It just was. Their only problem was the wedding which was happening next month. Which brother Naruto to what he wanted to ask Hinata about.

He wanted to ask her to elope with him, to run off to someplace in the Land of Fire with him for a few weeks, to get married and to return as Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata. He liked that thought, and was just trying to think of a way to ask her to elope with him so it didn't sound like he was ashamed to be married to her. Jiraiya and Kakashi had both told him that girls were particular about this kind of thing and he would have to think about how to ask her.

But he was asking her today to run off with him.

He'd feel bad about Sasuke being left at the alter later, but for now he needed to ask Hinata if she would marry him. Kami did he love that woman, he didn't ever want to live a life without her in it. Loving Hinata was so simple and easy that he had taken it for granted until it was ripped out of his reach. Never again though.

* * *

Hyūga Hinata was trying not to freak out at her impending loveless marriage to Uchiha Sasuke. She was in love with Uzumaki Naruto and she couldn't tell anyone; and worse, Sasuke knew. He knew she loved his best friend rather than him, and she was to marry Sasuke. It was mortifying.

But it hadn't stopped her these last six months from sneaking around Naruto. In fact, Sasuke's order in the hospital had kind of encouraged her to seek out Naruto's company, and she had a feeling that Sasuke had been covering for her and Naruto whenever they snuck away and her family wanted to know where she was.

Hinata bit her lip and tried to feel guilty for running around with Naruto behind everyone's back but she couldn't. It was all so wonderfully innocent, aside from the few kisses she had gotten from Naruto they hadn't done anything scandalous. But there was still a part of her which knew she should feel guilty for running around with Naruto behind everyone's backs. Even if Sasuke was covering for her.

Sighing she decided she couldn't feel guilty about it as she again started to sneak off to go meet up with Naruto. She wanted to marry Naruto rather than Sasuke so damn bad, and Sasuke even knew this. But still, she was honor bound to marry the Uchiha for her Clan so marry the Uchiha she would.

* * *

 **I have the internet back!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	20. Chapter 20

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 20**

Naruto stared at the wall trying to think of a fast way to get this marriage over, and he liked that he had all of Hinata's attention, but he didn't want to think about what it was going to be like if Hinata did marry Sasuke.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling in his gut as he stared at nothing in deep contemplation.

"Miseltoe?" he suggested remembering the lame tradition. Perhaps a kiss from Sakura would be enough to knock sense into Sasuke.

"N-no," Hinata stammered as she turned red and he smiled at her innocent blush. It was too cute in his mind.

"Then I have… nothing," he admitted with a defeated sigh. "Perhaps we should ask for Sai's help," Naruto groaned as he rubbed his hands over his face.

"I-I… I don't know," Hinata sighed. "Ino was s-su-supposed to help," Hinata admitted with a bright blush which had him chuckling.

"Where are Sakura and Ino now anyway?" Naruto asked. It had been six months since his last sighting of Sakura, and that had been when Sasuke carried her out of the hospital unconscious.

"I-I was told they were on a med-medical mission," Hinata mumbled.

"Oh," he frowned at that information; not because he didn't believe her but for six months now that he thought about it. Six! That was a long time to go on silence with Sakura.

"I…I have to… to go," Hinata murmured.

"Alright, see you tomorrow. I'm going to ask the teme about Sakura." Naruto said as they got up and parted ways. Walking through the village he headed for the Uchiha compound; he hadn't really been speaking to the teme for the past six months either, now that he thought about it.

He saw Sasuke walking with Mebuki then.

"Hey teme!" Naruto shouted.

"Dobe," Sasuke greeted.

"I'll talk to you later Sasuke, speak to Kakashi though," Mebuki murmured as she walked away. Sasuke turned to him then and Naruto frowned.

"What was that about?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing, what do you want dobe?" Sasuke asked as they started walking towards the Uchiha compound.

"I was going to ask if you had heard from Sakura these past six months," Naruto said and he saw the way the teme stiffened ever so slightly.

"Aa," he nodded.

"Alright, do you know where she is or when she's coming back?" Naruto asked.

"No, and it's classified so even if I did ask she wouldn't tell me." Sasuke shot him a pointed glare and Naruto shrugged. He was trying to play it cool but now that he was thinking about it, it was unusual for Sakura to only talk to Sasuke.

"Any idea what she was dealing with?" Naruto asked.

"Hn," Sasuke shrugged.

"Um… if you marry Hinata, would you… would you stay with her?" Naruto asked.

"Dobe just elope with her, I do not care! Hyūga Hinata is not the woman I love or could love," Sasuke sighed.

"Really?"

"YES!" Sasuke snapped.

"Oh, I just… is it weird."

"You're making it weird dobe."

* * *

Sasuke just sighed at finally being alone. If it wasn't one person, it was another, and if it wasn't anyone there was this nagging feeling in his gut.

Walking into the compound alone he frowned as looked around the silent abode. It was quiet, ungodly quiet. Which was why he felt like walking back to the Haruno Bakery.

He stiffened when something ominous filled the area behind him. instinct took over as he spun, throwing the shuriken. He glared with red eyes as the snake materialized.

"A clone of Oroshimaru's," he said icily.

"Very good Sasuke…" the snake chuckled. "But I would expect no less from a Sharingan user, even your brother possessed that keen eye sight."

"What do you want, snake?" he growled lowly as he felt the chakra for chidori dancing on his fingertips.

"An exchange," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Hn?" he lifted his brow. This chakra-less clone of Orochimaru's was irritating him. But that bad feeling in his gut prevented him from striking just then as he watched the snake closely.

"Oh… so th Uchiha-ling is curious," Orochimaru hissed in delight as he licked his lips.

"What exchange?"

"You for the girl," the snake cackled.

"Girl?" Sasuke asked calmly as he felt an electric ice course through his nerves and down to the marrow of his bones.

"Yes, I believe your pink companion will make an interesting experiment, unless…"

"Unless what?" he grounded out through clenched teeth.

"An exchange, your body for the girl," Orochimaru purred. "Or I can just make her carry my heir, I am in need of an incubator, and I have not run an experiment of such duration on a living creature like her before…"

"If one pink hair on that annoying head of hers' is harmed, if there is a single bruise, scratch or mark on her, there is no exchange," Sasuke warned silently. The snake looked like a winner just then, but Sasuke's mind was whirling with a thousand possibilities at this moment.

"Oh wonderful! I knew the girl was the key to getting you to do anything, three days from now, the bridge where this all began, and Sasuke tell no one or Kabuto and I have our way with our beautiful incubator," Orochimaru chuckled.

"If anything is wrong about her, I will know, and if anything happens to her it will be the last thing you do," he warned and the snake laughed as he melted into the nothingness of a clone. Sasuke was swift as he planned and darted into the house. Pulling his gear he lifted his ANBU mask to his face, pulling on his cloak and grabbing his weapons he left the village from his compound and then raced. Swift on his feet his mind started laying out all the possible traps and plans that he could do to destroy Orochimaru and Kabuto to get Sakura back.

All that mattered to him at this point was Sasuke. He would do anything to keep her safe right now.

* * *

Sakura groaned as her throbbing body came round. The first thing she felt was a ball gag in her mouth which had her snapping to attention as she struggled to remain calm. The second thing she felt were heavy, chakra draining and sealing restraints holding her body down. Her heart was ramming in her ribs as her green eyes slowly, and blearily assessed the room.

"And after we have the Uchiha?" she heard a voice.

"Then we have our incubator, and she will so love having her Sasuke in her," another purred. "Don't you think it's fitting?"

"Why not take a Hyūga, the child would have your genetics, and both the Sharingan and the Byakugan," the first said.

Sakura stiffened as she slowly twisted her hands in their restraints and groaned.

"Because, it will be all the more sweeter to take her with Sasuke knowing that his body is mine, and he cannot stop me," the second said as his bleary figure came into her view. Her eyes narrowed dangerously on him then.

Orochimaru.

Why was she not surprised? Rather, she felt disgusted.

"Hello lovely," Orochimaru purred as his long tongue slid over his lips and she shivered in disgust. "good to see you coming around. Now, your Uchiha, he would do anything to keep you safe, yes, did you think I never saw it? He will even hand his body over to me willingly.

"But I intend to reward him for his devotion to you, pet. You will bear him my heir, sired with his body," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Master, do you think that to be a wise decision?" Kabuto asked, she slid her glare over to him as she felt her gut roiling with disgust at being in their presence.

"Perhaps, perhaps not, but no matter, it is for me to decide, and I would like an heir, one with the Sharingan," Orochimaru said as he leaned in close to her. "And taking Tsunade's apprientice will be all that much sweeter."

Sakura struck then with all her strength as she slammed her brow into his. The snake gasped as he stumbled back and she felt victory for a second when there was a kunai on her and she gasped around her gag as her clothes were sliced open.

She glared into the eyes of a lustful, and hateful Kabuto.

"Touch the master again and we'll damn the Uchiha's requirements for coming," Kabuto warned as he roughly grabbed her exposed breast. "And we'll just use you, discard you, and dump you at his feet, you're powerless like this, bitch."

A snarling sound escaped her lips as she tried to move away from the harsh touch.

"Enough Kabuto, we need her!" Orochimaru hissed.

"Of course," Kabuto said. "Karin will take care of her."

"We have much to plan for," Orochimaru said as they walked out of the room. A tear slipped her guard as her head fell back on the metal table as she prayed to Kami Sasuke wasn't coming for her.

* * *

Hinata roused that night when there was a light tapping on her window. Quietly she tiptoed over, sliding it open and found herself looking down at the blue eyes of Naruto as he grinned. He motioned for her to come down.

She shook her head.

A startled gasp escaped her lips when he leapt into her windows.

"What are you doing!?" she hissed as he walked into her room and she quickly shut her window and drew the curtains on the windows.

"Let's get married," Naruto said.

Hinata felt the world stop as she gaped at Naruto. The man she loved; LOVED!; was proposing they elope. She was thunderstruck as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"W-Wh-What?" she stammered.

"I love you Hyūga Hinata, I want to marry you, and Sasuke said he didn't want to. I can't live without you Hinata," Naruto murmured.

"N-Nar…." She tried to form his name, scowled in irritation at her shyness, her heating face, and her stutter.

"Please, I know you don't love him Hinata," Naruto whispered.

"N-no, I don't," she stuttered in agreement feeling her tongue be thick and knotted and awkward in her mouth.

"Don't you love me?" he whispered as he leant over her.

She couldn't talk with her throat getting thick just then as she nodded.

"Then say you'll elope with me, I can't give you everything you deserve, but good Kami woman I love you," Naruto murmured as his brow rested on hers. She couldn't look away from those intense blue eyes.

She nodded vigorously then.

"Thank Kami," he murmured, his lips brushed hers and she felt like the world was disappearing as he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips before he pulled away.

"Get what you need, meet me at the gate in fifteen," he whispered softly.

She smiled as she nodded vigorously, he darted out her window and she grinned in delight. She would have oved to say something to him but there was nothing to say as she grabbed a bag, changed, tossed in essentials, grabbed some money and darted out the window.

In her excitement she didn't worry about the patrol on the Hyūga grounds as she landed at the gates. Naruto was waiting for her, he grinned and she smiled in excitement and love as he offered her a hand.

Hesitantly she took it and they ran.

She had never felt happier in her life and she knew that there would never be words she could use to explain her happiness at this moment. She was elated, she was ecstatic, there was nothing which could pull her off this high as she stared at Naruto's back. He leapt, she gasped, he swung her up into his arms and then they were gong faster.

"Sorry, I can't wait to marry you!" he grinned and she giggled a bit.

"I'm glad," she admitted softly as she clung to him and they raced through the forest, south for the Land of Waves.

* * *

 **This story is by no means forgotten folks! But I will be posting the ending all at once on the next update for this story so be on the look out for a Mass Update here! ;)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	21. Chapter 21

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 21**

Fury did not even begin to describe how Sakura was feeling right now as she wriggled a bit against the restraints she was wearing. It wasn't going to keep her, no it wasn't. and once she was out there was going to be hell to pay because she was royally pissed about this.

After she got out of this everything was going to be rubble.

Everything!

Snarling around her gag she continued to try to escape. She knew it wasn't going to be easy but she was prepared for that because of everything that she had already endured.

Sakura was going to escape.

She was!

She promised herself this as she worked her restraints and looked up when Kabuto walked into the room. Glasses glinted her way as he wwalked over to her. she wasn't afraid though; healthily pissed off; yes, but afraid; not really.

"You're so lovely, I can see why the Uchiha fell for you," Kabuto mused. She rolled her eyes as she glared at him then. Sasuke did not love her; tolerated was a better word. Just ask anyone. Snarling she would have bit him if she wasn't gagged.

"So feisty, I get it, you must be dynamite in bed."

She was; she wasn't going to say that though.

He reached out to touch her, he was coming closer, and Sakura acted then. Slamming her brow into his had him stumbling away as she smirked.

"You bitch!" he roared after he caught himself on the table. He came forward to hit her, but Sakura was smirking in triumph, and hand grabbed Kabuto's wrist.

"Not a mark the Uchiha said, and we want him to think we're playing by his rules," the snake purred as he looked at her.

"Later then," Kabuto grumbled as he stalked off, Orochimaru looked at her then.

"Sorry about my associate," he mused.

She shrugged.

He pulled out her gag and she popped her jaw.

"Better?" Orochimaru asked.

"Yeah, now, let me ask you something, what makes you think that Uchiha Sasuke will do whatever it is you've asked him to do? I can't even get him to do the dishes on his night," she sighed.

"Well, I have you," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Oh Pa-leeze!" She rolled her eyes. "Uchiha Sasuke doesn't give a rat's ass about me and everyone in every nation knows it. In fact he might view it as a favor that you've got me, it means I can't bitch about the laundry and other shit he doesn't do; or I don't do; you know, we argue all the time it's hard to keep track of," she sighed.

"You are a naïve woman Haruno Sakura," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Oh, I doubt it," she smirked.

"I've been watching the Uchiha for a very long time, and the only thing I've ever noticed about him consistently, is that you are someone he protects. He ignored the summons of the Curse Mark I gave him because of you, he ran off to kill Itachi only after Itachi had tried to kill you, and he lives with you. the logical conconclusion is that he loves you," Orochimaru chuckled.

"I doubt it, I've been driving Uchiha Sasuke up the wall since he moved into my family's bakery, and I do it for fun. There's no other motive there," she lied.

"You are very good about hiding what is going on Sakura, but you cannot hide everything for forever," he mused.

"Whoever said I was hididng something?" she asked sweetly.

"you love the Uchiha," he declared.

For a second her heart stopped before she burst into fake laughter which sounded genuine.

"The Uchiha could leap off a cliff for all I care!" she lied. "I am nothing more to Sasuke than maybe a sister or a pain in the ass roommate who is his teammate, I'm nothing. So why ever you think he'll come charging in after me, I don't know, because he won't. He's probably celebrating; he now has the apartment to himself," Sakura mused.

She didn't think this to be the case but she knew that if she could lie enough to get their trust then she was free. And all she wanted to do was get out of here. Sakura refused to be a pawn for Orochimaru, and if that meant she had to kill herself to prevent herself from being used against Sasuke she would all she needed to do was figure out how to escape.

"You are a naïve one, a truly naïve one," Orochimaru chuckled.

"I really doubt I'm however naïve you're making me out to be," she sighed as she let her head fall back against the board she was strapped to.

"Uchiha Sasuke loves you, he's on his way here to collect you, you in exchange for him, that was the deal. But what he doesn't know is that you're a prefect little breeder, and I'm keeping you. once I have his body, the Uchiha heirs will be in you, how do you like that thought? Sakura?" he said lowly.

She blinked.

"I'm going to use the man you love, use his body, and fuck you into giving me the Sharingan. The Sharingan must continue, and I will take nothing less than that from you," he said as he touched her cheek. She pulled away in true horror as she stared at him.

"And the best part is, he's not thinking so he'll do whatever it is that I want," Orochimaru whispered as he leant over her ear.

"I doubt Sasuke will be over taken by a snake like you," she snarled as Orochimaru pulled away. "So do your fucking worst, because I'll do mine; Sasuke's body or not," she growled and he chuckled as he gagged her again.

Sakura was a bit worried for her friend, the last thing she wanted was for Sasuke to be taken and used like a puppet by Orochimaru. She would escape and intercept him, lead him away and run for the hills. Knock his ass out and drag him if she had to.

She winced as a needle slid into her arm, she looked at Orochimaru who smiled maliciously.

"Fertility hormones," he supplied. Her eyes went wide in horror.

* * *

He stared down at the bridge and the only thing that raced through his mind was that this was a trap. It was an elaborate ruse to catch him and everything in him was screaming not to go near there. However, he also knew that he had to get Sakura back, which created this dilemma for him as he stared down at the bridge.

He'd need to be stealthy about setting his traps, he'd need an escape route to take Sakura by, and he'd need to stash her somewhere safe where Orochimaru and Kabuto wouldn't get her. he couldn't take her back to the village just yet, he would need Orochimaru and Kabuto dead at his feet before he felt alright to take her to the village which meant he'd have to pick his spot to stash her carefully. He'd also need her close, close enough for him to defend.

Sasuke slipped through the woods and began scouting possible stashes; he had no doubt she'd be hyped up on drugs; what drugs he didn't know, but he knew that anyone who was with Orochimaru wasn't right, right away.

Sasuke found what he was seeking a defendable clump of boulders. It was a narrow fit, but the interior cave held promise. It was a small cavern, but it was large enough to hold him and Sakura. after years of living with Sakura he knew how much space she occupied.

Satisfied he set up the fire pit, had a fire hole, made an area for Sakura and slipped out of the cavern to cover it up.

He wasn't taking her back to the village until whatever Orochimaru would have put in her system was out of her system. She wasn't going to like that but he was going to stand firm on that decision. Sakura would be sober and clean for when he took her back. The council would have no reason to rip her apart.

He on the other had was fully prepared to face the consequences of his actions for not marrying the Hyūga. But none of that mattered to him. what mattered was keeping Haruno Sakura safe and alive and getting her home. Whatever was going to happen to him wouldn't mean anything because he had to save her.

She saved him in so many ways that she didn't even know.

Sasuke returned to the bridge then as he stared down at it and tried to figure out how this was going to go. He would have to get her out of here and there; he started memorizing the routes there which would get him there the quickest.

Satisfied he returned to the bridge as he formulated his plan.

It wasn't going to be that difficult; he hoped. Which was why he was sitting here hoping for some rain and for a change he wanted his brother's wisdom here. It would be a good time to have advice.

* * *

Hinata felt weird about sneaking out of the village, but the moment that she and Naruto had arrived at the inn in the Land of Waves to get married she felt really happy. She couldn't believe that he wanted to marry her.

"You really want to do this?" Naruto asked as they walked to their room.

She grinned as she nodded enthusiastically. She did not think she'd ever be able to marry the Uchiha; he was scary. And she knew she loved Naruto, she was just happy that he wanted to marry her.

"I'm sorry for not realizing I loved you sooner," Naruto said.

"It-It's fine," she managed in her nervous excitement.

"I love you Hinata, you're no second pick for me if you're worried about that, I just… I guess I never realized that I loved you," Naruto chuckled.

She just leant on him and savored this because she had wanted it for so long. She didn't know how else to feel about it as she stared at him and grinned. She wanted to so badly be his.

"I love you too," she murmured.

"Really!?"

She nodded.

"Good, that'll make tomorrow even better!" Naruto grinned as he hoisted her up and spun her around in their room before they landed on the bed. She giggled a bit as he kissed her clumsily.

Best kiss ever!

* * *

Naruto would have felt guilty about stealing Sasuke's betrothed if Sasuke hadn't said just do it. And he would have felt bad about defying the council but he loved Hinata. It was strange, he might have always loved her and never noticed, but the moment the teme was her fiancé he wanted to have her.

Kissing her with everything he had he pulled away and stared at his fiancé; soon to be his wife and grinned

"Sorry, I'm just… eager," he admitted.

"M-Me too!" she squeaked with a smile.

"You get the futon, I'll take the wall, and then tomorrow night we'll both have the futon," he said and kissed her again.

She was blushing furiously as she nodded and he leant back as he propped himself up against the wall.

Everything was going perfectly, he was excited about tomorrow because then Hyūga Hinata would be Uzumaki Hinata.

It was a thrilling prospect as he sat there staring at her staring at him.

"Kami you're sexy," he groaned.

"I-I am?" she whispered.

"Yeah, I want to touch you, I want you, I want everything," he smiled.

She smiled then too and he tried to ignore how she made him want to kiss her again. That wouldn't be the best start to their arrangement. Him jumping her before they were legally married. But good Kami did he want to.

However, he would do right by Hyūga Hinata, and if she ran off tomorrow, he'd be hurt, but he'd live knowing he hadn't taken anything from her she hadn't offered.

* * *

 **Today is the kick off of today as stories will be finished! My Christmas Gift to You! Starting today there will be a story a day completed, from now until New Years!**

 **Keep up if you can!**

 **And to my author followers, sorry for spamming your email, for story followers, enjoy the email spamming!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	22. Chapter 22

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 22**

The morning of the exchange Sasuke was ready as he stood there staring at the forest, his finger was holding the deadman's switch, and he was ready. There was nothing he wasn't ready for, he was going to do this, he would have Sakura safely tucked away again before anything else could happen to her. And after he had eliminated Orochimaru and Kabuto he would be having a serious talk with Sakura about everything between them. He was going to detangle all these things between them, and once that was finished, perhaps he'd marry her. If only because she was the only person he had ever found worthy of his affections and trust.

Three figures came to the other end of the bridge, Sasuke recognized Sakura but she looked so flushed, and fevered that he was concerned more about her health than his safety as he strode up to her. he stopped in the center of the bridge as he prepared to escape. Orochimaru came towards him, Sakura looking a bit delirious, and Sasuke waited for her to get nearer before judge what had happened to her. She tripped when Orochimaru stopped.

"Let her go," Sasuke ordered.

"That was not the deal, Sasuke, life for life," Orochimaru gestured and Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Let her go and I'll take her place," he said slowly. He wanted to have Sakura near enough to grab, she looked so delirious that he was a bit worried that she was about to collapse, but he didn't stop to think about what that would mean as he stared into the snake's eyes and kept a sense on Kabuto and where he was. Sasuke didn't back down though as he waited. Orochimaru released Sakura, she stumbled forward, he caught her, the moment he had her, he released the seal. Everything he had rigged exploded.

Sakura gasped, he wrapped her in his cloak to keep her from being burnt as he leapt over the side of the bridge. There was swearing above him, but he bit his thumb, bled his blood as he summoned his ticket out of her. the huge hawk caught them as they soared back up into the sky. He tightened his hold on the girl as they leveled out, it was over the forest that he stepped off the hawk and plummeted. Sasuke didn't notice Sakura strange moan as he cradled her to his chest, all he felt was her heat, and her discomfort as he dashed soundlessly through the forest without leaving a trace of them.

Making it to the hideout he set her down on the sleeping pad.

"Sasuke!" she moaned out low and sensationally.

"What the hell?" he muttered as he touched her brow, she didn't feel fevered, but she was hot. Sasuke pulled out a restraint when she started squirming and pinned her.

"Stay here, I'll be back," he murmured as he pressed his lips to her brow.

"No! Sasuke!" she pleaded, but he ignored her as he dashed out of the hideout.

* * *

Naruto grinned as he looked at Hinata standing there in a plain white dress as hey stood before the preist.

"You look amazing," he mused.

"Thank you…" she blushed profoundly and again he found it adorable as he looked her over. He promised himself he wouldn't make a fool of himself as he stared at her and he couldn't believe as the priest agreed to marry them, the witness present was a local town family who had agreed to come for him and Hinata's marriage.

The ceremony went off without a hitch and as they said their vows Naruto knew that he wasn't making a mistake, even as he leant over to seal their union with a kiss.

Hinata was blushing furiously, and he grinned as he pulled away from her feeling satisfied and happy about their union. Taking her hand, he pulled her along, she clung to his hand as they jogged back to the inn. She giggled a bit when he scooped her up and they ran into their room. He grinned as he kissed her deeply, and laid her on the bed.

"Naruto," she whispered.

"Just tell me what you want to do," he muttered as he kissed her jawline again and held her close. She shivered at his touch, and he tried to be as gentle as he possibly could be with her, and he tried not to hurt her or scare her, he didn't want that.

But he wanted to touch her everywhere as his hands skimmed over her sides and down to her thighs. She moaned lightly when he kissed her with everything he had. He had no clue what he was doing but he figured he could figure it out. after all, it was only sex.

Pulling away from her he tugged her lip as he started kissing down her pulse and the column of her neck. She pleaded softly with him as he slid his hands under her skits.

"Tell me where to touch you," he murmured as her hands shyly slid under his shirt.

"I don't know," she whispered. He groaned as he kissed her again and pulled her up to him. Her soft breasts distracted him, stole his thoughts and his mind, and he couldn't think of anything but how soft she felt. Because Good Kami was the woman ever soft.

He liked it!

"Then I'm going to touch you everywhere," he muttered and grinned as he felt her pulse quicken while he settled her on his lap. She just gasped as he pulled her hips to his and he chuckled. It felt so damn right to have her this close, and he couldn't think of anything he wanted more in this world than to continue this.

"Naruto!"

"Hinata, so warm, and soft, are you always this soft?" he wondered as he cupped a breast and marveled at it's weight as she whimpered. It was more than a handful, but he loved how warm and soft it was in his grasp; he also liked the sounds Hinata was making.

* * *

Sakura could only feel the burning heat in her veins, she could only sense that as she lay there gasping. Everything hurt, and the heat was so heavy in her that she could barely thing. She just wanted the heat gone as she rubbed her thighs together and tried to get some form of relief. It didn't hurt, but the ache was pulsing in her body as she bit her lip and let her head fall back.

She had to tell Sasuke, she had to tell him that it was a trap, that Orochimaru and Kabuto wanted to use his body to capture the Sharingan, she wanted to tell him. but Sakura couldn't even think chearantly so how was she supposed to tell him to run away, to escape, she didn't know as she moaned lowly and tried to roll onto her side.

She couldn't move, something had her waist pinned. Sakura sighed as she closed her eyes and hoped to Kami Sasuke was alright. Whimpering at the rustling of her clothes against her skin she cursed Orochimaru and Kabuto and those fucking fertility drugs. She wanted relief, she needed relief, she just needed peace.

If she ever got her hands on that snake he'd rue the very day he had been sired, and birthed because he was putting her body through hell and someone would suffer the consequences of messing with her!

* * *

Hinata lay there in bliss as she slow roused and looked around the inn room. She looked at her sleeping lover and smiled to herself before she snuggled closer to him and savored his warmth. Honestly she had never thought that this day would or could come for her, she had always dreamt of it, but she had never actually expected it. Now she was here, safely tucked up against Naruto and savoring his warmth as she sighed in bliss. This was how life should always be, with the one you loved, and she loved Naruto with all her heart.

Never had she been more happy about not doing something her family and village had ordered her to do because now she had Naruto here holding her.

"Hinata?" he grumbled.

"Hm?" she hummed.

"Love you," he muttered as he tightened his hold around her back and pressed her mre securely to him. Hinata blushed a bit as she buried her face into his chest and she hummed in delight with herself. She had loved Naruto for so long, and to have his love in return, it felt like she had won, like she had finally gotten her prize in life. It made her so ridiculously happy.

She hoped Sasuke wasn't pissed with her and Naruto, she wasn't sure, but she was pretty sure he was missing Sakura so she hoped he sorted that out as well.

"Love you too Naruto," she whispered and he hugged her a bit closer and she sighed.

* * *

Sasuke leapt through the air as he hurled the shuriken, his rage fulling him as he moved after Kabuto and Orochimaru. Everything in him was on fire with rage, they had drugged up Sakura, they had taken her, and they were after his kekkei genkei, someone would be dying here before the day was over, and it wasn't going to be him as he leapt up into the air and snarled viciously. Kabuto intersected him, glowing chakra scalpals pulsing as he lunged for him. Sasuke stepped back, evaded, his red eyes whirling and when Kabuto lunged for him Sasuke pulled out Susanoo.

The scream from that purple chakra hand grabbing him was satisfying as Sasuke stood there and stared at Orochimaru. The look of horror in the snake's eyes had Sasuke's lips curling back then as he revealed his secret.

"An Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan…" Orochimaru gasped.

"I stole Itachi's eyes the moment he was dead, I planted them in my own," Sasuke mused coldly. "I have the ultimate eyes," he snarled as he crushed Kabuto and he darted towards the snake as the blood splattered the ground. Sasuke was fast, he had always been fast, and right now he was pissed. He was highly motivated too.

"That's better, perfect," Orochimaru licked his lips then and Sasuke smirked coldly then.

"You will die!" he snapped and darted forward as he pulled his sword and leapt into the air. The snake leapt for him and Sasuke went low as he leapt straight for Orochimaru then. the snake's body elongated and Sasuke dove through the coils as he slashed through the scales which had Orochimaru screaming out.

He was ripped through muscles and the snake spun on him.

Fangs snapped at him but Sasuke was already far away as he looked at the snake.

"Amaterasu," he muttered as he felt the power surged through the air and rippled through him. The fire started from nothing as it erupted in the middle of Orochimaru, the black fire erupted. It consumed the snake as he screamed in agony.

Sasuke leapt into the forest as he ran off. Amaterasu would devour the snake and he wouldn't have to worry about the snake coming back for him. slowing he approached the hide out then with extreme caution.

"Sasuke…" he heard her cry out.

"Sakura," he murmured. Walking into the hideout he saw Sakura writhing on the pad he had tied her up. She was looking at him with desperation then.

"What happened to you?" he murmured as she groaned as she writhed there.

"Fertility drugs," she muttered.

"What?"

"Orochimaru… drugs, fertility, he wants your body…" she moaned. He sighed as he touched her brow, she closed her eyes and he sighed. As he touched her hair.

"You'll be alright," he muttered.

"Hot… so hot," she whimpered. He said nothing as he sat beside her and knew he'd have to out wait this. It could be a while as they sat there in silence beside Sakura's pants.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	23. Chapter 23

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 23**

Sasuke winced as he woke the next morning, his neck felt stiff and he looked down at Sakura who groaned and wiggled a bit in discomfort. He just pressed his hand to her brow, there was no fever that he could feel, and he found her state a bit more concerning. She didn't seem as heated as yesterday, and she seemed a bit calmer.

"Sakura?" he whispered. She groggily looked up to him then.

"Hmm?" she hummed.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I gotta pee, and I'm thirsty," she mumbled.

"Aa," he nodded as he unstrapped her and she slowly sat up. Sakura stumbled out of the hideout, he kept an eye on her literally as he watched her until she returned. It was just a precaution. He didn't know how he'd feel if she was taken again. Once she came back in she still looked hazy as he handed water to her

"Why'd you come? If they had gotten you…" she trailed off.

"Because they had you," he answered.

"Hm?"

"Sakura, you're family, and an Uchiha never leaves their family behind," Sasuke said softly as he maneuvered her back onto her sleeping roll and again tied her there. He didn't want her to wander off or attract more attention because he knew Orochimaru would have pumped something else in her than a fertility drug.

"Sasuke…" she hummed.

"Hn?" he lifted a brow.

"Thanks for coming to get me, I love that about you, so loyal," she yawned. His heart stuttered at her word 'love' as he stared at her with wide eyes then.

"Sakura…" he said nervously.

"Hm?"

"I love you," he blurted out and internally cursed himself for not having the suave to tell her in a more romantic way. But face it, aside from one night stands, which didn't count as romance, he did not have much experience in the romance department and he didn't think it'd change anytime soon. But he wanted to try to convey to her how much she meant to him.

Bleary green eyes stared at him for a long moment.

"If I'm dreaming, don't wake me," she smiled.

"Sakura…" he started.

"I love you too, I love you with all my heart, I wish Hinata wasn't going to be your wife. I wanted to break the Hyūga into itty-bitty pieces at the announcement of your wedding, but if she makes you happy I can live with it," Sakura yawned.

"Sakura…"

"I'll still love you, and I wish you saw me too, but I don't expect you too, I was mean to you when we were kids, and I'm your roommate; no, family, now," Sakura sighed.

"Sakura," he touched her chin, and she looked at him.

"This is real, I love you," he whispered and placed a chaste kiss on her lips though he wanted more. But taking advantage of a drugged up Sakura was neither wise nor productive.

"Sasuke…?" she whispered as he pulled away. "Really?"

"Aa," he assured her as he stroked her hair.

* * *

In the dim light of the hide out Sasuke had set up for them she could only stare at him. He loved her, even in her heavy, heated state she knew he meant it now that he had said it. But she was having trouble grasping the concept because she'd seen the busty women he had brought home from time to time, and she knew that she wasn't his type or pretty enough to be with him.

"I like this dream," she mused as she smiled a bit. But Sasuke didn't smile as he kissed her again.

"It's not a dream," he murmured.

"I doubt that, it feels like a dream, besides, you wouldn't admit such a weakness, and I've loved you so long, and I want you to love me, but I know you don't love me," she smiled.

"Haruno Sakura, you are the most dense and annoying woman I have ever encountered. But yes I love you," he murmured. "I probably always have," he said softly.

"Really?"

"Aa," he nodded.

"Then why did you date all those other women?"

"You snuck up on me," he muttered. She grinned.

"I snuck up on you?"

"Aa," he assured her again.

"I like that thought, I loved you when I saw you that first time," she giggled.

"I think I loved you too, it just took a while to notice," he murmured as he toyed with her hair. she sighed as she relaxed, she was still hot right now and she didn't like it as she squirmed a bit. She likied the idea of Sasuke loving her for so long. But the way her heat addled mind was she couldn't really think past the ache that was pulsing so strongly through her.

Whatever Orochimaru had done to her was not fun, and if she ever got her hands on the snake he'd rue the day he had fucked with her. For now though she'd ignore the ache as she'd try to talk with Sasuke.

"Why'd you agree to marry Hinata?" she asked.

"I didn't, I was ordered to, and I think she's a married woman now," Sasuke said offhandedly.

"Really?"

"Aa, to Naruto, I sent them off to elope before I came to save your sorry carcass," he said in an affectionate tone which had her smiling a bit as she lay there.

"I really missed you," she whispered.

"Why did you not tell me where you were going?"

"Because you were marrying Hinata," she answered honestly. She had wanted to; and had tried to, dislike Hinata but that feat was impossible. Hinata was just too sweet, and when she had admitted Sasuke terrified her, Sakura had initially been outraged, but now she was pleased.

Sasuke was free for the taking and Sakura kind of hoped he'd ask her to marry him. not that he would, but she could hope.

"Now that I'm not, would you have told me?" he asked.

She thought about it, "No, I'd have told you."

* * *

"Good," he murmured as he kissed her lightly again, she sighed.

"Sasuke?

"Hn?"

"Kiss me for real," she whispered. Sasuke was only happy to comply, even though the back of his mind screamed not to. He just wanted a taste, he wanted to feel her, to know she was alive and here and well, he just… he wanted her. and it was the sappy want, it was a primal need.

She had been a vital part of who he was for so long that he couldn't even imagine his life without her. Kissing her deeply, thoroughly, and lazily he wanted to convey to her everything, everything he felt for her, everything he had figured out since she had left. There were no words in his vocabulary to describe what she was to him, there was no way to convey to her how much he needed her, how much he relied upon her, or how much she meant to him as he kissed her.

Sakura sighed in bliss, he just moaned as he slowly maneuvered himself over her, his hands were in her hair, and her hands were clinging to his clothes.

"Mine, Sakura, mine," he muttered harshly when he pulled away gasping and kissed her jawline. She was the one thing he had always looked at and thought to be his. She was his person, his teammate, his roommate, his best friend, his family, his sanity, his salvation, and his world. There was no way he could convey to her just what she was to him because he had never really thought about it until this moment as he looked at her delirious green eyes.

"Please Sasuke, please, I want you," she panted, he wanted her and he found himself pulling off her restraints. Her hands dove under his shirt, he hissed at the cool skin touching his abs, but he groaned at her sure touches. Sasuke was determined to draw this out though as he slowly pulled away.

"Sakura… you have drugs… in your system," he gasped and stared at her.

"I know, but… this is me, I want you," she murmured as she kissed him again. "And if you don't screw me now I will go insane because I've been wanting to jump your bones since I was thirteen," she warned.

He chuckled.

"Really?" he mused as he sat back and pulled her into his lap so she straddled him.

"Yes!" she gasped as he grabbed her ass and pulled her into his hips.

"Me too," he admitted honestly. Ever since Haruno Sakura had hit puberty he had actually worked at not jumping her, kissing her, or noticing her. A part of his mind had always noticed her though, and that was the part of his mind which had conjured her image up when he had had to jack himself as a teen.

"Good, makes it simple," she mused.

"But if we do this, I'm keeping you Haruno Sakura, I will be marrying you, and you will have Uchiha heirs," he murmured against her skin. "Can you handle that?" he purred.

* * *

"Oh yes," she breathed. "Can you?"

"Aa," he chuckled and she smiled as she felt him unzip her shirt and let it fall, she sighed in some relief as she ground her hips against his. She was so hot, and sticky, and heavy she just wanted some relief, and she didn't care how it came to her as Sasuke's mouth landed on hers' again and she sighed in bliss.

"Sasuke," she breathed.

"Sakura," he grunted as he unhooked her bra and it fell to the cave floor. She whimpered as he cupped her breasts, and she sighed feeling a relief to the heavy ache she felt. More, more, more, she needed his mouth on her; her mind screamed. But she didn't care as she sighed.

"Not too small?" she whimpered in uncertainy.

"No," he assured as he kissed her mouth and his hands left her breasts as he grasped her ass and pulled her closer to him. Oh Kami did she ever want him to just fuck the living daylights out of her but she was good with how this was going at the moment as she pulled her lips from his and kissed her way down his pulse.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," she whispered as she slid her hands up his hard muscles; relishing the feel of him and his heat. The ache in her was pulsing harder and she thought she'd die if she didn't have him in her then and there; as fast and as hard as he could go. She didn't want kind and gentle now, she liked it hard and rough and she knew Sasuke was good at both.

"Hmm?"

"Now, I need you now, foreplay later, now!" she gasped, he pushed her back, she squirmed out of her shorts, they were soaked unsurprisingly and she heard his pants being discarded. A low moan escaped her as he settled between her legs.

"I expect romance later," she whispered in a huff.

"Aa," he grunted as she felt the tip of him trace her slit. Fucking fertility drugs had messed with her body and she was dying for some relief as she gasped lowly. He slid in her entrance, she moaned as he grabbed her hips to keep them steady.

"Sasuke! Now! hard! Oh Kami! Hard!" she begged. If she wasn't so delirious between natural want and her drug addled mind, she'd have been ashamed for the begging but as he surged into her she could only moan lowly as he slammed into her to the hilt. He pulled out till he was only a tip in her, she panicked initially but then he slammed into her hard and fast, and she gasped.

This is what she wanted, she thought hazily as she wrapped her legs and arms around his body, her nails digging into his shoulders as he slammed into her ruthlessly.

"Sasuke!" she whispered, chanted, pleaded and worshiped as he continued a ruthless pace.

The blinding edge was coming to her, and she nearly screamed at feeling him so deeply in her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	24. Chapter 24

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 24**

Sakura roused the next morning to Sasuke moving around her and she sighed. The heavy heat which had been tormenting her since Orochimaru had injected her with the drugs was finally fading, but it had only been three days in this cave to start feeling normal as she rolled over. Sasuke was still sleeping and Sakura wondered if she could wake up beside him, like this, for the rest of her life. Biting her lip she leant over and lightly pressed a kiss there, not a kiss to ignite his desires, but rather one she hoped him to return for affection.

He did, as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly.

"Sasuke…" she whispered when she pulled away and snuggled into him. She still felt hot, and she still felt a bit heavy limbed but she was feeling more relaxed at this moment as she lay in his arms.

"Sakura," he mumbled.

"We have to go back to the village again," she muttered.

"Aa," he yawned and she looked up at him.

"Do you really love me?"

"Aa," he nodded as he opened his red eyes, she stared at them.

"Really?"

"I was thinking of ways to get you to marry me before I had to come save you. I can't marry Hinata. She's too submissive, too quiet, and too jumpy for my tastes," he muttered sleepily.

"And so you're going to marry me?" she asked skeptically.

"Aa, I like your temper," he murmured as he kissed her chastely again. She sighed feeling a bit reassured by him as she savored the moment of laying with him and his arms stay around her.

"Thank you Sasuke," she whispered.

"Hn?"

"For coming for me," she whispered.

"I always chase after you," he pointed out and she chuckled a bit as she lay there resting. She wanted to sleep again but she couldn't as she pulled his arms a bit tight around her and pressed her back into his chest. She never wanted to leave him again, but she had a feeling that the moment they returned to the village the council was going to be in a fit.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"What about the council?" she asked uncertainly.

"What about them, they won't be able to annul the marriage or make us divorce," he muttered.

"Huh?"

"As soon as you can walk and don't look like you're in a drug induced stupor we're getting married," he yawned as he rolled onto his back and she sprawled out over his chest.

"You mean it?"

"Aa," he nodded as his hands slid down her sides to her hips.

"But what… what about the honeymoon!? The guests? My parents!?" she gasped as he sat her up and propped himself up.

"If you want a big wedding we'll have it after we have a marriage lisence," he assured her and she gasped as he lifted her up, she felt his hard member.

"But what about the…" she moaned lowly as he impaled her, her fingers digging into his chest as all cohearant thoughts flew out of her mind and she gasped for breath. Sasuke was so big! And he reached places in her she didn't know could be reached.

"What about what?" he asked in a low even tone as he started moving his hips.

"The honeymoon?" she gasped, he found that spot in her which had her seeing stars and she clung to him as he sat up.

"Haruno Sakura, we're doing this backwards," he groaned.

"But!?" she gasped as he pushed up into her a bit further, she liked how deep he felt in her, and she felt like she was going to burst from how full she felt.

"Aa," he groaned.

"Fuck! Sasuke!" she gasped as her head fell back and she clawed at his back, he flipped them over, she hit the sleeping mat on her back as her legs tightened their hold around his hips. He moaned lowly as he kissed her and she sighed in bliss. She loved the heat and feel of him. she loved having him in her and as he drew out of her and surged forward she was seeing stars. Lips traveled over her pulse, teeth scraped her skin lightly, and she gasped his name desperately.

"More!" she begged desperately as he kissed her heaving chest, she slid her fingers into his hair as she massaged his scalp. He moaned, and she pleaded his name as his tongue slid over the swell of her breast before he blew cold air over her breast.

"Fuck!" she whispered.

He chuckled, he hit that spot in her and she moaned as she arched, his mouth captured her throbbing nipple and she nearly screamed as she bit her lip. His pace was languid, his actions deliberate and she could only pant, beg, and plead as he teased her.

"Sasuke!" she moaned, purposely fluttering her inner muscles around his member which had him pulling away from her as he gave out a cry.

"Fuck! Sakura!" he groaned.

"Fuck me, don't tease me," she pleaded. He groaned as he nodded and kissed her again as he started thrusting into her harder, faster and slamming into that spot which had her writhing desperately for him. she loved him, she loved him so much, and she wanted all of him.

Sasuke was whispering her name, she just about screamed his though as his hand slipped between them and his fingers found her nerves and everything shattered in her as she convulsed, gasping and begging. The heat exploded in her, as it ripped through her veins, her vision disappeared as she saw stars then went lax gasping for air.

"Fuck Sasuke," she whimpered, he was still hard and still moving in her and she felt her heat building again.

"We're doing this all backwards Sakura," he whispered in her ear before he kissed the shell of her ear. She slowly slid her hands up and over his body to rest between them.

"Every," he kissed her as he thrusted hard into her.

"Thing," he growled as he kissed her brow.

"Will," he moaned and his lips pressed to the kid of her closed eyes.

"Be," he whispered before pressing his lips to her nose.

"Proper," he murmured as he tugged her bottom lip with his teeth, she surrendered then.

"But," he breathed, his thrust particularly hard and had her crying out as the pleasure speared through her.

"Backwards," he snarled as he kissed her passionately, she sighed in bliss as she tried to meet his thrusts, but couldn't. he pulled out and she found herself being flipped. A gasp had barely escaped her before he grabbed her hips and slid into her, turning her gasp into a low moan as her hands fisted in the bedding. Fucking hormone drugs had her all hot and bothered! And she really wanted him all the time now.

"Sakura," he groaned lowly.

"Deeper Sasuke!" she pleaded as he slammed roughly into her. He was ruthless then, and it had never felt so fucking good as she bit the pillow they had to keep from sobbing in pleasure. Every thrust had her heating up, and the edge coming closer.

It was so close now, she moaned lowly.

He groaned and sped up.

It was overwhelming her as he pulled her up, her back to his chest, his lips at her temple, a hand slid around to toy with her breast as his other hand slipped between her legs and toyed with her nerves. Everything exploded in her then as she screamed out his name.

Her name was on his lips as she collapsed against him.

He exploded in her then, she could feel him scorching her and filling her and she moaned as she tumbled over the edge a third time when they collapsed on the bedding again, she was gasping desperately for air and he just sighed.

"I guess the rumors were true," she whispered as he pulled out of her and they lay there.

"Hn?"

"You really are a kami of sex," she whispered.

He chuckled lowly. She smiled.

"Might as well be good at something I enjoy," he whispered.

"No arguments here," she assured him as he rolled over her and kissed her slowly, languidly, but not sexually. Sometimes it felt like he was trying to convey something to her when he kissed her like this.

"Do you really want to marry me?" she whispered when he pulled away.

"Aa," he nodded and pulled her into his arms as he rolled to the side.

"The council won't like this," she murmured.

"Fuck the council," he snorted.

"I'd rather you fucked me after I could feel my legs again," she mused.

"Aa," he chuckled and kissed her brow again as she yawned and snuggled into him again.

This is what she had been dreaming of since she had been a child, and now it was real. She loved how this felt as she let exhaustion claim her.

* * *

Sasuke stared at her sleeping again and he decided that this could be the best decision of his life. He hadn't realized how much she mattered to him until it was almost too late, and now that he had her, he couldn't leave her alone. This just felt right, like it was perfection or nirvana. Perhaps this was what he had been overlooking in his desire to keep his adopted family safe. He had missed what had happened, missed the trip, missed the fall, and had arrived to the same destination.

Now the insult Itachi had thrown him in their fight made more sense, as did his dying breath of love her. Sasuke hadn't understood, but now he did.

This felt good, it felt right, and a part of him wanted to tell his brother that he hadn't been a puppet for the council, but hre knew that in a way Itachi was right. No matter, Sasuke had won. At least he felt like he had won in the long run, he had Sakura now, and he had the respect of the entire village. What more could he want? Sasuke didn't know as he kissed Sakura's brow again and savored having her tightly pressed against him.

"I'm never letting you go again," he murmured as he looked her over and closed his eyes.

She was going to be the one to help him rebuild his clan. He couldn't imagine a better matriarch for the Uchiha clan, she was the perfect pick in his mind. The council and the Hyūga could go die in a deep hole. Starting next week Haruno Sakura would be no more, and there'd be no more position to fill as his partner and matriarch.

Haruno Sakura would be Uchiha Sakura and she'd never again get a chance to slip around him or elude him.

He had her love, he had her heart and he wasn't losing them and even if it killed him he would be married to her.

The only downside to marrying Sakura was that she was a walking disaster who couldn't clean up after herself but he liked the idea of just having her messes there in his life as a sign that he wasn't alone. He had always relied on her for that, it was part of the reason he had moved in with her when she had gotten her own apartment. He had wanted to be around her.

Even if he wasn't entirely certain what compelled him to be around her.

Sasuke always wanted to be around her. He didn't want to chance losing another moment in his life without her around him. He needed her in his life to balance him and his darkness. He realized this now as he lay there holding her. Settling down he pulled her closer and inhaled the scent that was Haruno Sakura as he let peace settle over him and let his heart feel light for the time being.

They'd be married soon.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	25. Chapter 25

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 25**

Naruto and Hinata arrived in the village after two weeks of 'missing' and Naruto had to admit he had never felt as smugly proud of himself as he did then.

The faces of the other shinobi staring at him holding Uzumaki Hinata's hand, and their wedding bands on display. He felt very smug and very pleased with himself as he pulled her into him and kissed her temple then and smiled at her.

She blushed prettily and he kept her close as they walked.

"Naruto, everyone is staring," she whispered shyly as they walked.

"Yeah, because you're gorgeous," he mused.

"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN!?" a voice roared behind them and he turned to see Kakashi, a pissed off Kiba, a furious Ino, and terrifying Hyūga Hiashi staring at them. "AND WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY DAUGHTER!?" Hiashi shouted.

"She's my wife, we eloped," Naruto said nervously as he tried to play it cool.

"WHAT!?" everyone roared.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Naruto admitted.

"Sasuke didn't want to marry me," Hinata muttered.

"We're looking for him too, any idea where he disappeared?" Kakashi asked coldly.

"No… what's going on? you can't be that mad about the elopement, and why's Ino here; I thought she was on a topsecret medical-nin mission," Naruto blurted out as he registered the presence of the blonde.

"Ugh!" Ino sighed.

"Sasuke and Sakura are missing," Kakashi filled him in. Naruto released Hinata then as they started walking to the Hokage's office.

"Missing?"

"Sakura was taken and shortly after that Sasuke disappeared from the village; we thought he was on a mission with you tht we didn't know about, but then Hinata was missing," Kakashi said.

"I didn't know the teme was leaving." Naruto avowed.

"We figured," Ino rolled her eyes as she glared at him.

"What the hell am I supposed to do about this!?" Naruto snapped. "The teme paid for Hinata and I's wedding, inn, and honeymoon, he didn't say anything about leaving!"

"He did what!?" Hiashi roared.

"That was sweet of him," Hinata mused quietly, he winked at his wife then.

"But he didn't leave with you two?"

"No, he insisted we go, he didn't seem inclined to follow us," Naruto admitted as they entered the office.

"This isn't good," Kakashi sighed.

"Who took Sakura?" he asked.

"We don't know, I didn't sense any enemies in the area," Ino said swiftly and a cold shiver of fear slid down Naruto's spine. This was not good.

"Hey! Here's a message from the gate keepers!" Kiba shouted as a hawk dove down and landed on Kakashi's shoulder.

Pulling the missive out Naruto tried to peek at it before Kakahsi moved out of his view. There was nothing he caught though. A hand slipped into his as he anxiously awaited the news when everyone was running to the gates again. Naruto didn't slow as he chased after them. What the hell!?

Where was Sakura and the teme! The worry filling him was mind numbing.

* * *

Sakura woke to her husband sliding into bed with her. Yesterday, after three days of nonstop running they had made it to a small village. They had gotten married promptly upon arrival, filing legal documents and everything; stating they were shinobi and in a rush because it was their last chance to be together; which moved the civilian and they had expedited the papers.

Before the end of yesterday afternoon she was officially Uchiha Sakura, with a kiss sealing their marriage.

It wasn't romantic, but Sasuke assured her that once they got back to the village she could plan a collosal wedding if that was what she desired; and she did want the huge wedding. But he wanted them bound so the council couldn't undo what he wanted for a change.

Sighing she rolled to see him.

"Mmm… send the missive!?" she yawned as she moved a bit, and he lay beside her.

"Aa, to the gate," he murmured as he kissed the base of her neck. She sighed in bliss then; they hadn't had sex yet; as a married couple, because of the exhaustion the running had been.

"Good, think they'll be pissed?" she muttered as she turned onto her back so his arm rested under her breasts. It felt good to not have those hormones ruling her body now. Though she still wanted Sasuke's touch.

"No, dobe will be loud about not being here, but your parents will be relieved," he sighed as he closed his eyes. She smiled.

"When are we going back?"

"A week, give it time to cool off," he grumbled sleepily, she snuggled into his chest then and sighed in contentment. She didn't think this news was going to cool down anytime soon, but she felt really content.

Even just sleeping beside Sasuke was satisfying to her as she pressed closer in on him.

"Sakura?" he whispered.

"Hmm," she hummed.

"We're not living at the Uchiha compound; I'm burning it to the ground," he whispered with a yawn. She sighed.

"Wherever you want," she mumbled as she felt her exhaustion dragging her down for sleep again. He just grunted and she smiled as she enjoyed the feeling of his warmth. She could live in a barn with him and be happy, and that was a fact of her life. She just wanted to be with Sasuke, no matter where they were.

She woke to his mouth on her pulse, his hands sliding over her body as he teased her slit. Moaning lowly she arched into his touch and decided she could get used to this life as she gasped and grabbed his bisceps as he settled between her legs.

The kiss he gave her had her in nothing but a puddle of putty as she hooked her legs around his hips and watched his red eyes as he slid into her. It felt so good! Moaning lowly she arched against him and gasped his name desperately as he tormented her body again.

* * *

Hinata chuckled as she sat in the house her father had bought her and Naruto. He had been furious at first, but after a few days of Naruto charming him she knew her father was happy about the union. Which was why Naruto gaped at the house.

"Holy shit!" he gasped.

"Like it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'd have gotten us this eventually, it's nice to have it now though," he admitted, she blushed and smiled as he over and hugged her.

"Can you believe Sasuke married Sakura?" he mused.

"Yeah," she admitted. She had been hoping that it'd happen for a while if only to free herself from having to marry Sasuke. But now it didn't matter, she was married to a man she loved and Sasuke had the one who would drive him into insanity and love him and see him for him. For to Hinata Sasuke was always going to the terrifying Uchiha.

"I'm happy for them," Naruto muttered.

"Really?"

"Kind of, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," Naruto admitted.

She giggled.

"You agreed to help me set them up though," she mused.

"I was desperate, I'd have agreed to get the moon if it kept you away from the teme," Naruto defended she smiled as she rested her brow on his chest then and sighed. She was happy, truly happy, and she didn't think she'd ever be happiest in her life than she was at this moment. This was everything she had ever wanted in her life.

* * *

A week later Sasuke found himself sitting at the Haruno kitchen table, looking at a man who he considered to be like a father to him, glaring at him. Sasuke didn't know if he wanted to leap out of the house before Kizashi chased him with a cleaver, or if he wanted to plead forgiveness.

"So…" Mebuki and Sakura appeared then and Sakura sat beside him as Mebuki took her seat beside Kizashi. "We want to know what this means for you two, and when this happened. Sakura's already explained to me that she's always loved you as more than a friend or sibling, but I want to know about you Sasuke. And you will explain or Kizashi will get the cleaver," Mebuki said sweetly with a smile.

"Uh…" he paled uncertain of what to say as he looked over Sakura's father uncertainly. He knew that nothing he could say would ever explain what and when he had fallen for Sakura. Though at this moment he was desperately wishing for his mentor's silver tongue to get him out of this mess.

Sighing he cleared his throat and looked at the people who had raised him and taken him in after he had been deemed a little monster by the council and doctors.

"I think I always loved your daughter," he admitted softly as he carefully chose his words. "I wish I could tell you what it means, and when it happened, but I can't. Your daughter snuck up on me, and I think it was always quietly there. As to what it means, it mean your daughter is an Uchiha and she will be treated as such, and I will not have another wife or mistress. She's it," Sasuke said firmly.

"Anything we should know about this? Sakura?"

"I'm not pregnant yet, so this was done out of love," Sakura said quickly.

"And your engagement to the Hyūga?" Kizashi growled lowly.

"Uzumaki Hinata is married to Uzumaki Naruto, I paid for their elopement as a wedding gift," Sasuke said. And he had because there was no need to bribe the dobe to do something stupid. He just needed the dobe to think it was his idea to have him running out the door.

"I see," Mebuki hummed. Sasuke looked at Sakura who shrugged and then he was assessing the Harunos again for physical ticks to what they were thinking and if he needed to run from a meat cleaver being chucked at his head. Any sane being feared a pissed off Haruno. And he did mean any sane being; because even he, despite all his power, would not tangle with a pissed off Haruno, civilian or not.

"Alright," Kizashi smiled and Sasuke relaxed.

"Really?" Sakura gasped.

"Yeah, kid's more than worthy of you," Kizashi grinned as Sakura hurried around the table to hug her father. Kizashi just smiled, and Sasuke felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest.

"Come here!" Kizashi snapped. Sasuke stiffened as he complied.

"You are now officially family, so I'm going to tell you, not as the man who raised you, but as the father of your wife, you fuck this up, I catch wind of you hurting my baby, and I won't care if I raised you, I will come for you, and there will be no place on this planet you can hide that I won't find you and make you suffer," Kizashi warned.

"I have no intentions of hurting your daughter," Sasuke said and then he found himself enveloped in a suffocating hug as he had the air squeezed out of him and his back popped before he was set back.

"Welcome to the family; again!" Kizashi grinned and laughed. Sasuke was seeing stars as he tried to catch his breath again as he stood there feeling a bit dizzy.

"Yay!" Sakura darted over to him and he wrapped her up in his arms so he didn't collapse as he caught his breath.

"Now, where are you two living?" Kizashi said.

"Not the Uchiha compound," Sasuke snarled.

"Live here until you figure it out, you two can have the attic, and when you figure it out we'll help you move," Mebuki suggested.

"I still have the apartment," Sakura pointed out.

"We'll stay at the apartment then, but visit here often," Sasuke decided. Sakura was loud during sex and he didn't want her parents to hear that; he'd be dead rather quickly.

"Alright, but you still have family dinners to attend," Kizashi warned.

"Aa," Sasuke nodded and rested his chin on his wife's head as he held her close. This was normal, he liked it this way.

* * *

 **When I have access to all reviews; so I can go through and thank all reviewers, I'll post the final chapter of Rid of the Monsters. Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Rid of the Monsters! =)**


	26. Epilogue

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Epilogue**

 _4 Years Later…_

Sakura sat in her bathroom staring in disbelief at the four sticks she had put in the sink.

It had been four years to the day since she and Sasuke had become an official thing, and been married, and started sleeping together. And in the span of those four years they had been trying for a baby, if only to get the council off their asses about their union. However, in four years Sakura had kind of been discouraged; seeing as how Hinata was expecting her fourth child right now, and Shikamaru and Temari were expecting their second after two years of marriage, and Sai and Ino already had their first child and they weren't married! Yet, the wedding was next week.

So yes, she was discouraged at the idea of having a child, and had conceded that it just wasn't in her cards.

Now though she couldn't look away as she felt something light bubble in her heart. Hearing the door had her grabbing the sticks and hiding them; she wouldn't get her hopes up fully until she had a blood test. Tucking the sticks away she poked her head out of the bathroom and smiled at her husband as he fell on the bed.

"Hey, how are you?" Sakura asked as she walked to him.

He grunted to her and she chuckled a bit as she straddled his lap, he opened an eye then and looked her over.

"I know how to make you feel better if you want…" she mused deviously.

"Devious," he murmured as he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her down for a deep kiss.

Sakura sighed in bliss as she clung to his uniform and savored this. In four years this was the one thing that hadn't changed between them, the sex was always mind blowing, and filled with emotion. She loved it, she loved him, and in four years they had both mellowed out a lot.

"Sasuke," she breathed as he pulled away and started kissing her throat, sucking it lightly as he grasped her hips and pulled her closer.

In four years they had mellowed, they had stopping fighting as much, stopped bickering over everything, and had just… grown up. It felt good to know that if he came home he would talk with her, and it felt amazing to know that he loved her.

"Sakura," he whispered on her skin.

"I love you, I love you, I missed you," she admitted and heard him chuckle as he rolled them so she was on the bed as he hovered over her.

"I know," he assured her.

"Good," she smiled as he came over her to kiss her. Kids or not they had a good thing, and it was something she was going to cherish for forever because it was Sasuke. Smiling she decided she'd do the blood test tomorrow to confirm what she was hoping as her husband came back to her lips and kissed her.

* * *

Naruto gasped.

"No Boruto! No!" he shouted as he leapt after the Byakugan wielding toddler and tried to catch him before the kid fell and broke his head.

It didn't help that there were two black headed tots clinging to his ankles as their mother napped.

"Himawari! Hana! Let go!" he pleaded with the giggling twins. They only giggled more, Boruto stood on the bookshelf, Naruto lunged, diving as he caught his eldest son and rolled on the floor with a mass of giggling children. When he had said he wanted a big family, he hadn't expected o have hyperactive babies who only wanted to play and create messes all day. Sighing he stared at the ceiling of his house when his son sat on his chest giggling.

"Dada!" the boy announced. Naruto grinned as he sat up, sending his three toddlers squealing as they fell off him.

"Tickle war!" Hana shouted and Naruto grabbed Boruto as the boy squealed.

"Don't ever scare your dad that way again!" he warned as the boy howled in laughter as Naruto tickled the boy.

"Hwelp!" Boruto shouted.

"Get him!" Himawari screamed as she and her twin dove for him. Naruto grunted dramatically as he fell back. The kids were squealed as he faked blocking them and rolled on the floor laughing as the tickle war commenced. He caught Hana, gave her a raspberry in her side which had the kid screeching for help as she laughed hysterically.

"I got you!" he exclaimed as he grabbed Himawari and tickled her sides.

"I gat dada!" Boruto shouted and Naruto gasped dramatically as he fell over laughing while his son prodded his side eagerly.

"I see you have a tickle war going?" a soft voice mused and he sat up with Hana hugging his head.

"Uh… sorry; we wake you again?" he asked as he stood up, the kids all looking soulfully innocent which was the first indicator that they were up to something.

"No, he did," Hinata pointed to her swelling belly and Naruto chuckled as he knelt down to the belly.

"Gotta let your mama sleep," he whispered to the bump as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Naruto, you're being ridiculous," she chuckled.

"Am not, it's very important to talk to the bump," he teased as he stood up and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Mama! Mama! We haz tickle war!" Boruto shouted as he leapt for joy.

"Who won?" Hianta asked as she took her seat and looked at her children adoringly.

"We did!" Himawari shouted in glee.

"Yeah!" Hana grinned mischeiviously.

Naruto just chuckled. He and Hinata had had Boruto nine months after their wedding. Eight weeks later, a free night of no baby they had been cleared for sex and it was a great night. But he had forgotten the condom, they hadn't thought about it too much until six weeks later Hinata was over a toilet heaving out her guts thinking it was food poisoning… well, it wasn't food poisoning. About eight months after that they had had Himawari and Hana.

* * *

Hinata chuckled as she listened to her children tell her all about their tickle war before they were all settled again and she was sitting against Naruto. Being around Naruto seemed to calm the kicking storm in her, the baby was definitely his father's son.

"Still happy?" Naruto whispered.

"Very," she assured him. The rough patch they had hit was about a year back when Naruto was too busy to come home and be a father, also he would rather go out drinking than being with his kids. Hinata had felt like she was drowning with three kids, and when she had finally snapped taking the kids to her father it had been Naruto's wake up call and since then he tried very hard to be a father and husband while he learnt what being Hokage would mean.

"So, what are we having?" Naruto asked as he rubbed her belly.

"A boy," she blushed having checked her baby this morning with the Byakugan.

"Yes! I won't be out numbered anymore!" he chuckled.

"Mmm," she mused as he came up and kissed her lightly on the lips and they watched as their kids rough housed vigorously.

"How many do you want?" Naruto asked.

"I… I haven't thought about it," she admitted as she rubbed her belly. "I want a lot of them," she smiled.

"Good, I do too," he smiled and kissed her temple and let her cuddle into his side for a nap.

* * *

Sasuke stared at his sleeping wife and wondered how long it was going to take before she figured out she was pregnant. He had figured it out about a month ago when she had started having fainting spells at random, and she had started needing to pee every five minutes. A chakra check confirmed what he knew and now he was patiently waiting for when she discovered it. Mostly because he knew she'd be furious if he told her rather than she telling him.

Also, he had a bet with Kizashi, and the soon Sakura figured this out the sooner he'd win the bet. Still he was happy as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her temple as she slept.

When she figured this out he hoped she would be happy about it. He was and he was very content with her carrying his child. This would be a step in the right direction for the Uchiha clan. Now he just needed his wife to figure it out.

Closing his eyes he let exhaustion take him as his hand rested over where his child was residing in her. He was kind of excited to be a dad, he wasn't sure he'd be a good one but he was looking forward to it and it was something he was going to enjoy figuring out. After all, if the dobe could be a good father then Sasuke had a shot.

* * *

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